Republican National Convention will test Jacksonville attendees daily for coronavirus
The Republican National Convention in Jacksonville, Florida, this August will include daily coronavirus tests and temperature checks for attendees. President Trump will be accepting the Republican nomination at an arena that holds 15,000 people, despite concerns about the spread of the virus in enclosed spaces and the recent spike in cases in several states.
"Everyone attending the convention within the perimeter will be tested and temperature checked each day," said Erin Issac, the communications director for the Jacksonville 2020 Host Committee.
The venue for Mr. Trump's speech was relocated to Jacksonville in June, after disagreements over how to host the event derailed plans to hold it in North Carolina. The official business of the convention is still set to take place in Charlotte, but the events typically associated with conventions, such as Mr. Trump's acceptance of the nomination, will be in Florida.
Positive cases of coronavirus have skyrocketed in Florida over recent weeks. On Saturday, Florida reported 11,458 new cases, shattering its previous single-day record.
FDA commissioner and White House coronavirus task force member Dr. Stephen Hahn said on Sunday that it's "too early to tell" if it's safe to hold the Republican National Convention in Jacksonville next month.
Mike Reed, the spokesperson for the Republican National Committee, said Monday in response to Hahn that "the RNC is committed to holding a safe convention that fully complies with local health regulations in place at the time."
"The event is still almost two months away, and we are planning to offer health precautions including but not limited to temperature checks, available PPE, aggressive sanitizing protocols, and available COVID-19 testing. We have a great working relationship with local leadership in Jacksonville and the state of Florida, and we will continue to coordinate with them in the months ahead," Reed said.
In a second statement on Tuesday, Reed said the "plan for administering testing and other health protocols will be rolled out in the coming weeks."
"We are committed to holding a safe event, and will be closely coordinating with state and local officials in the months ahead," Reed said.
Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry told reporters Tuesday that the city is "acting appropriately" and will act appropriately when the convention occurs. He also noted there is a statewide executive order that facilities can't have over 50% capacity.
"That's where we are right now," Curry said, adding that the city will continue to evaluate as they get closer to the RNC.
Nikole Killion, Eleanor Watson and Nichole Sganga contributed to this report.