Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issues executive order suspending all local COVID-19 restrictions in state

• Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida signed an executive order Monday suspending all COVID-19 restrictions.
• The order supersedes local authorities' pandemic rules.

Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida signed an executive order on Monday suspending all COVID-19 restrictions - superseding local authorities' pandemic rules.

"We don't know what's going to happen in the future," DeSantis said at a briefing announcing the move. "But I think this creates a structure that's going to be a little bit more respectful, I think, of people's businesses, jobs, schools, and personal freedom."

DeSantis also signed a bill banning vaccine passports.

The Florida governor signed two executive orders that lifted the restrictions and another that prohibited local officials from passing any new COVID-19 ordinances.

According to the Florida Department of Health, the state on May 2 registered a seven-day 6.4% positivity rate for new COVID-19 cases, with 3,155 cases.

After the order was signed, Walt Disney World updated its website with a statement that said: "We are aware of the state of Florida's plans to modify COVID-19 guidelines. We will evaluate this latest guidance and maintain our current health and safety measures at this time, including face-covering requirements.

"We will continue to make thoughtful adjustments to our policy. As COVID-19 vaccines become available, we encourage people to get vaccinated."

St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman blasted DeSantis' invalidation of the COVID-19 restrictions: "This act, this isn't for the protection of Floridians. This is for politics," he said.