At least two counties in Florida have announced plans to reopen their beaches during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The beaches in Bay County are officially back open as of Friday with limitations. They reopened just one day after the Bay County Board of Commissioners approved an emergency order allowing recreational use of county beaches during the hours of 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. ET, according to the ordinance.
The commissioners said beachgoers should still follow all strict social distancing rules while enjoying the sun.
Public beaches in Sarasota County will reopen on Monday for “essential” recreational activities, according to Nicole Rissler, director of Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources in Sarasota County.
Sarasota County commissioners voted unanimously Thursday to reopen beaches for fishing, running, walking, swimming and surfing.
Playgrounds, tennis courts, basketball courts and beach pavilions will remain closed. No coolers, tents, umbrellas or chairs will be allowed. Congregating is also banned, and all parking near beaches will remain closed.
Last week, beaches in Jacksonville, Florida, reopened with similar limitations.
Gov. Ron DeSantis supported the idea of reopening beaches, parks and other public spaces as long as social distancing is practiced, WJXT reported.
“You look at how this disease is transmitted, it’s transmitted overwhelmingly when you are in close, sustained contact with people, usually in an indoor environment,” DeSantis said. “Going forward, we got to be promoting people to get exercise, do it in a good way, to do it in a safe way.”
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