Florida officials are cracking down on spring-breakers planning to head to the Sunshine State to party during the pandemic.
According to The New York Post, the state is implementing new restrictions to help slow the spread of COVID-19 as vacationers touch down in South Florida’s popular tourist locations like South Beach and Fort Lauderdale. The crackdown will restrict spring breakers from staying out past midnight and curtail their alcohol consumption, among other things.
Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber told a local news outlet, “If you’re coming here because you think it’s an anything-goes place, please turn around or go somewhere else.”
According to the new guidelines, Miami Beach will impose a number of health and safety measures during its “high impact period,” from now through April 12, including a 12:00 midnight curfew.
The guidelines stress that no alcohol, coolers, tables, tents, or live music will be allowed on public beaches. Capacity limits are also in place at some of Miami’s more high-traffic beaches and their surrounding areas.
Fort Lauderdale’s Mayor Steve Gellar said residents and visitors could expect heavier law enforcement presence in busy areas, with social distancing and mask-wearing mandates being strongly enforced. Gellar also stressed that the city would shut down any businesses that get hit with numerous health violations.
“I’m OK with saying we will try and focus on the offenders and not do a countywide curfew, provided that Fort Lauderdale agrees to shut down the offenders,” Gellar told the media.
