426Blue
Posts: 422
Joined Forum: 11/18/2007
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Dear Beachside Mayors and Leaders:
Given the existence of the Covid-19 pandemic, I encourage you to take measures intended to stop the inflow of tourists, persons from high risk areas, or persons from areas with strict lockdown or stay at home orders, into Brevard County's beachside communities. Now is not a good time for tourists, or short-term, overnight visitors to be visiting beachside communities. Unfortunately visitors appear to be coming in droves, seeking escape from their own communities, wisely increasing restrictions due to Covid-19.
The negligible economic benefit to a very few residents, selling a few extra take-out orders, or booking additional hotel rooms or short-term rentals, is not worth the increased risk of exposure to permanent residents. The majority of residents do not see any economic benefit in catering to tourists or short- term visitors during a pandemic. Permanent residents must still use essential services, such as their local grocery stores, drug stores, gas stations, banks etc. Allowing tourists and short-term visitors to continue visiting our communities only makes residents' local essential services more crowded, increasing the risk of contracting Covid-19. The Governor's recent directive asking persons arriving in our community from high risk areas, to simply voluntarily quarantine themselves is naïve at best, if not laughable.
You have the emergency powers and resources, to temporarily ban overnight visitors until further notice, and require any over-night, short term visitors to vacate without delay. You should exercise those powers, widely publish notice of such emergency actions, and enforce the same to the greatest extent possible. Some communities, such as Monroe County, have wisely already taken similar measures. The health experts have been "spot on" as to their predictions, and the next two weeks or so will be a crucial time, for taking extreme measures to curb the spread of Covid-19 in our communities. Unfortunately, the State and Brevard County are not heeding such predictions.
I sincerely hope you will take appropriate action to stop Brevard County's beachside communities from being the dumping ground for people seeking to escape the inconveniences or stricter measures associated with Covid-19, taken by their own states and communities.
Sincerely,
Concerned Brevard County Beachside Resident
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