JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — During a news conference on Thursday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis says he will be making an announcement about re-opening gyms across the state on Friday.
DeSantis said that he will be in Jacksonville to make the announcement, though did not provide a time.
"We're going to have an announcement tomorrow that's going to encompass the gyms," he said. "First of all, this is a virus that if you’re in good shape, you’re probably gonna be OK. So why would we want to dissuade people from going to be in shape?... I think it's really important for people to have access to gym and exercise."
Gyms across Florida have been closed for weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In Georgia, gyms and fitness centers have been reopened since April 24.
Also during the news conference, DeSantis also announced that Broward County and Miami-Dade would be entering Phase 1 of the reopening process starting next week.
Almost two weeks ago, DeSantis excluded Miami-Dade and Broward from the Phase 1 reopening due to a large number of positive COVID-19 cases.
However, Desantis says that South Florida counties have been doing an excellent job in flattening the curve in recent days with testing numbers trending downward.
"Moving Miami Dade to Phase One is the sensible thing to do at this point," DeSantis explained. "...We understood that we have a responsibility to move forward in a safe, smart and step-by-step approach."