DeSantis knocks reporter for question about kids in ICU

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Tuesday knocked a reporter who asked a question regarding if mask mandates would have helped seven kids who are in the ICU for the coronavirus. 

A reporter asked about seven children who are at the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital and if masks could have helped them avoid the virus.

DeSantis responded by asking the reporter if she knew the children were not wearing masks when they caught the virus.

“You’re blaming the kids, saying they weren’t wearing masks so they’re in the ICU. With all due respect, I find that deplorable to blame a victim who ends up being hospitalized,” DeSantis said at the press conference.

“This has been a really negative thing throughout this whole thing, with some of these, quote, experts, some of the media. Somebody can contract a highly transmissible airborne virus and they’re viewed as having done something wrong. That’s just not the way you do it,” DeSantis added.

Florida is dealing with a spike in coronavirus cases from the delta variant. The state broke its coronavirus hospitalizations record for the third day in a row on Tuesday. 

DeSantis reemphasized during the press conference the rise in cases wouldn’t cause the state to shut down. 

“We are not shutting down,” he said. “We are going to have schools open. We are protecting every Floridian’s job in this state. We are protecting people’s small businesses. These interventions have failed time and time again throughout this pandemic, not just in the United States but abroad. They have not stopped the spread, particularly with delta.”