Monroe County, including Key West, announces beach closures for Fourth of July weekend
Experts say bars, not protests, are driving COVID-19 spike
Florida does extensive contact tracing to figure out where people who tested positive have been before they got sick. And the state’s health experts are finding a clear pattern -- it’s not leading back to the outdoor protests; it’s leading to indoor places where young adults go to hang out and party.
KEY WEST, Fla. - The Florida Keys are joining its northern neighbors in announcing officials will close beaches for the upcoming holiday weekend.
On Monday morning, Key West officials announced all beaches in the city will close from Thursday, July 2, and they will reopen them Tuesday, July 7. This includes Higgs Beach, which is operated by the county.
The decision came days after the city commission voted unanimously to cancel this year's fireworks show.
Shortly after Key West's announcement, Monroe County officials followed suit saying parks and beaches will close from Friday, July 3 and reopen on Tuesday, July 7.
Just north of the Keys, Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties announced beaches will also close for the Fourth of July weekend as the state experiences a rise in coronavirus cases.