Written By: @dawnnnyy_
Miami is usually the place to be for spring breakers, but not this year. In the wake up the coronavirus pandemic, Miami Beach Mayor, Dan Gelber announced in a news conference on Thursday that “the most popular stretches of public beaches” will be closed to the public starting Saturday at 4:30 p.m.
The affected public beaches are the ones that run from seventh to 10th street. City Manager Jimmy Morales added some clarity to the inevitable announcement on Thursday as well. According to the Miami Herald, emergency measures are being enforced to “limit the gathering of spring breakers in South Beach” by closing the beaches every day at 4:30 p.m. To mandate this, police and city ambassadors will begin enforcing this measure at 5 p.m. every day.
The congregation of people in Lummus Park has also been banned.
Morales said in an email to Mayor Gelber and the City Commission that this order will address “public health concerns posed by the spread of the coronavirus to Miami-Dade County and the large influx of spring breakers that “don’t seem to care about viruses.”
Mark Samuelian, Miami Beach Commissioner, said, “battling coronavirus is hard enough. But when you add large, energetic crowds and alcohol — not the disinfecting kind — into the mix, strong measures are needed to protect public safety.”
Miami Beach officials are aware that these measures are unprecedented, but the health of the citizens of Miami, as well as the visiting spring breakers, is their top priority.
More updates are to come.
