Coronavirus Impact: Florida Keys To Close To Visitors
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - On Friday, about a dozen residents of Key Largo gathered near the Welcome sign and Visitors Center to tell people the opposite: Please go home!
"I'm sorry people. Your life is more important than your vacation right now," said Sandy Hall, who has lived in Key Largo for 10 years.
By Sunday at 6 p.m., all hotels, guest homes, short-term rentals in RV parks, and vacation rentals have to close down in the Florida Keys. Tourists who are already in Monroe County can stay to figure out travel plans, but visitors who try to come in now will be asked to turn away. Hotels can no longer take new reservations.
"For every person who comes in, they're leaving a footprint, and just exposed all of those people," said Marlen Weeks, who has lived in Key Largo for more than 40 years.
Weeks has been concerned since January - she is the one who organized the group of women who came out Friday morning with signs.
"My daughter is a congenital heart patient," explained Weeks. "She suffered a stroke... and almost died from a similar virus 3 years ago."
Weeks calls herself a conscientious mom and a contentious Conch. She and the others aren't just worried about exposure, but they're also worried about hospital space and everyday supplies.
"The lines, the grocery stores, I mean, people from Miami are coming here because they think we have more stuff than they do," said Hall. "We have limited supply of stuff...we need it for us."
While the women with signs wished they Keys had closed off earlier, county officials say they have been planning for weeks
"Greatest good for the greatest amount of people," said Kristen Livengood, the public information officer for Monroe County, on why the Keys weren't closed earlier. "Officials are trying really hard not to bankrupt people."
As a small business owner whose husband has already lost 2/3 of his retirement funds, Weeks is the last person who wants to keep businesses out, but she feels there is no other choice.
"Visitors coming in: we love you, we need you to go back home now," said Weeks. "Remember us. Come back when it's safe for all of us to be around each other.
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