'Florida has done better' than states using 'draconian' policies, DeSantis says from White House

Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Tuesday in a White House visit that he plans to soon re-open the state, touting his efforts amid forecasts that his state would be hit hard by the coronavirus.

"Everyone in the media was saying Florida was going to be like New York or Italy, and that has not happened," DeSantis told reporters as he sat next to President Trump.

The governor attributed success in the state to a health-safety plan that has addressed all parts of Florida's diverse population and targeted potential hotspots, including nursing homes.

"We had a tailored and measured approach that not only helped our numbers be way below what anyone predicted, but also did less damage to our state going forward," said the governor, who plan to announce reopening plans Wednesday.

When asked about criticism regarding the relatively late closure of his state, DeSantis keenly defended his decision.

"You look at some of the most draconian orders that have been issued in some of these states and compare Florida in terms of our hospitalizations per 100,000, in terms of our fatalities per 100,000," he said. "Florida's done better."

He credited understanding "the outbreak was not uniformed" across his state and acting accordingly with Florida's success in mitigating the potential spread of the virus. "We've been contact tracing from the beginning," he added.

DeSantis also pointed out that roads in Florida have been cleared for the better part of a month, so the state has been able to expedite some key infrastructure projects and put them on track to be running as much as two months ahead of schedule.

The president and the governor went back-and-forth about the need for a potential travel ban from South American countries into Florida.

DeSantis said he was planning to stay abreast of the coronavirus numbers in places like Brazil, which are experiencing large outbreaks, but that most of Florida's cases that are tied to travel from New York.