Gov. DeSantis helped make Florida ground zero for summer COVID surge

Speaking to reporters of COVID-19 following a Cabinet meeting on June 16, Gov. Ron DeSantis said: “I don’t think it’s going to go up anywhere like it did last summer because we have so much immunity,” and “the best thing you can do, particularly if you haven’t gotten the vaccine, particularly if you have any health problems… is to get a shot.”

He was right about getting the vaccine, but he was wrong about the numbers of confirmed cases to come. He failed to appreciate the infectiousness and virulence of the delta variant. Unfortunately, the governor’s public health policy approaches to combating COVID, people’s fatigue with COVID spread countermeasures and Florida as a popular travel destination made Florida ground zero for the delta surge that would easily surpass the summer surge of 2020.

From June 1 to Oct. 28, there were 1,376,063 new confirmed COVID-19 cases (as reported by the Florida Department of Health) and 141,816 hospital admissions that included 4,191 pediatric admissions (as reported by the U.S. Department of Health and Humans Services) in Florida. In contrast, there were a mere 726 admissions of confirmed influenza cases or about half of 1% of COVID-19 admissions during the same period.

For three consecutive weeks in August, confirmed cases in Florida would top 150,000 each week, and test positivity hovered around 19%. While the Department of Health reported new deaths each week from the beginning of June to Oct. 28 that totaled 3,873, the actual total number of deaths occurring during the same time was 22,685.

On July 30, the total number of deaths for persons under 16 in Florida since the beginning of the pandemic was seven. By Aug. 27, the total number had risen to 12; on Sept. 24, it was 22; and by Oct. 28, 29 had died.

Similarly, for persons ages 16-29 that had died before July 30, the total was 160. By Aug. 27, it was 244; on Sept. 24, it was 361; and on Oct. 28, it was 412. While 274 individuals 29 and under that died are a fraction of the over 22,000 deaths due to delta, they all had families and loved ones that have been devastated by COVID.

Beyond the mortality numbers, there have been enormous financial costs as well. According to FAIRHealth.org reporting on Sept. 21, the median COVID-19 hospital treatment costs for non-hospitalization is $2,289, $54,262 for general in-patient hospitalization and $208,136 for hospitalization with complexities. This aspect of the disease has been especially tough on those without health insurance and hospitalization coverage.

I think it is fair to say that Gov. DeSantis and the people of Florida could have done better in reducing the spread of the virus and being protected so that at least some of those that got sick and died would still be with us today. Is this a lesson for all policymakers and the public alike as the even more infectious delta variant AY.4.2 has arrived in Florida? We will see.

Charles Guy lives in Newberry.

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This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Charles Guy: Gov. DeSantis was wrong about summer COVID surge