DeSantis calls on retired healthcare workers and LEO to fight COVID-19

LAKE MARY, Fla. - Florida's governor is asking retired healthcare workers and police officers to help fight the virus.

So desperate times, may call for past protectors.

"There's a lot of concern about man power," Gov. Ron DeSantis said Monday. "So I'm also gonna sign an executive order today to allow recently retired law enforcement and healthcare personnel to immediately return to the workforce and join the fight against COVID-19."

The governor's move is one Mike Scudiero has been waiting for. The Volusia County police union leader works right next to a lot of retired officers who are ready to play a proactive role in all this.

"It brings people back to work who are willing to work that are professional, that are trained, that are certified, and that are able to do the job," said Scudiero, Coastal Florida PBA Executive Director.

A representative for the Florida Nurses Association says they too have been waiting for this, already preparing potential lists of volunteers for the cause.

These aren't necessarily the 65-plus crowd. The governor's order suspends the law that says retired state workers must stay out of the workforce for six months. In other words, as Scudiero says, this could bring some very able bodies back into the fight in both these essential fields.

"So by doing it this way, you're bringing people back who are fresh in the mind of what it takes to do this job."