Gov. Ron DeSantis said Monday that schools will be required to remain open despite the rise in confirmed COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, arguing lockdowns and closures have not worked.
DeSantis also said the state was not considering any further restrictions on businesses that could lead to layoffs or financial loss.
DeSantis said countries like Sweden, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland all kept children in schools with positive outcomes, and argued that some studies show the virus can spread more when children don't go to school because they socialize off campus. DeSantis criticized those who are pushing again for closures as cases rise.
"Closing schools due to coronavirus is probably the biggest public health blunder in modern American history," he said at a news conference.
"People who advocate closing schools for virus mitigation are effectively today's flat-earthers."