Florida to begin reopening on Monday, but not South Florida

Florida will begin reopening on Monday, but South Florida will remain under a shelter-in-place order until further notice.

Gov. Ron DeSantis outlined the state’s phased reopening plan during a press conference Wednesday. Due to the high number of cases in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, the tri-county region will remain excluded from the first phase of reopening, starting on Monday.

In other parts of the state, including the Florida Keys, as part of phase one, retail and restaurants will be able to operate at 25 percent capacity. Restaurants will be able to operate outdoor dining with tables set six feet apart. Elective surgeries will be allowed to resume. Movie theaters will remain closed throughout the state, DeSantis said, and no changes will be made to closures of bars, gyms and personal services, such as hairdressers.

Throughout the state, social distancing guidelines will remain in place, including avoiding gatherings of 10 people or more.

Next week, the state plans to open more testing centers, including a hybrid drive-thru and walk up testing site at the Miami Beach Convention Center and another site in Fort Lauderdale.

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South Florida

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DeSantis issued a statewide shelter-in-place order in early April that was set to end Thursday, limiting access to essential services, including grocery stores, pharmacies and gas stations.

Parks have started to open in Miami-Dade County and parts of South Florida.