DeSantis: 'We will not be defunding the police'
ORLANDO, Fla. - During a news conference in Orlando at OneBlood, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis made it clear that he is standing behind state law enforcement.
“We will not be defunding the police,” DeSantis said. “So, don't worry about that. We're going to be supporting our men and women in law enforcement.”
He made the remarks after a group of protesters interrupted the news conference, accusing DeSantis of mishandling the pandemic and covering up COVID-19 data.
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The protesters were eventually moved outside. However, shouts of “Shame on you” and "You're lying to the public" continued to be heard from outside, where the protesters occasionally banged on the windows.
The governor was in Orlando to put out a call for people who have had COVID-19 to donate blood, as the state topped 5,000 deaths of Florida residents due to the pandemic.
“One of the treatments that many physicians around the state believe is very effective is the use of convalescent plasma,” DeSantis said Monday while at the Orlando headquarters of OneBlood, a blood-donation agency. "This is a blood that's donated from somebody who has cleared the COVID-19 disease,” DeSantis continued. “It has the antibodies, and that is then used on a patient who is sick in the hospital. And what they find is, as well as with some of the other treatments, the earlier you do it the more effective you will be.”
On Monday, the state Department of Health reported 90 new COVID-19 deaths, bringing the total number of Floridians who have died from the virus to 5,072. The state also reported 10,347 new cases.
The governor addressed reports that have been pouring into FOX 35 News of people testing positive for coronavirus when they have never been tested.
“For that to come back positive, when there was no specimen submitted, is problematic, so I’ve heard it enough to be concerned about it,” said Governor Ron DeSantis, State of Florida, “I asked the Department of Health to look at that because I heard it too if you can give us, if people that have told you that are willing to provide their name, we’re interested in investigating this because it’s ridiculous.”