Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis told houses of worship on Monday to stay “innovative” and maintain social distancing as they mark Passover and Easter during the height of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Republican said he was pleased to see religious leaders turn to online services and outdoor services “where people just stay in their car.”
“I think that they’ve been innovative, and I think that will ultimately be something that matters a lot to people,” Mr. DeSantis said. “But we also pointed out the risk of having a packed gathering right now, given what we’re going through.”
He cited a big funeral in Georgia that turned into a “super-spreader” event.
Passover begins at nightfall on Wednesday, and Easter Sunday follows on the weekend.
Mr. DeSantis’ order for Floridians to stay at home through April exempts houses of worship, citing ways to maintain social distance. He urged clergy members to maintain their cooperation.
“We want people during this time to be spiritually together but to remain socially distant,” Mr. DeSantis said. “Please keep God close, but please keep COVID-19 away.”
Florida, which has a large senior population, had seen more than 13,000 cases of COVID-19 and 236 deaths as of midday Monday, according to the state health department.
Over 1,500 people have been hospitalized due to the disease.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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