Gov. Ron DeSantis said 'any type of lockdown' in Florida is 'insane,' despite Biden's warning of possibly reinstating restrictions

• Gov. Ron DeSantis said there would be no lockdowns in the state of Florida. 
• His remarks run contrary to President Joe Biden’s warning one day earlier that the US might “have to reinstate restrictions” if the public isn’t vigilant. 
• “To even contemplate doing any type of lockdown, honestly it’s insane,” DeSantis said.
• See more stories on Insider’s business page.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday shot down the notion of instituting a lockdown in his state, despite a warning from President Joe Biden that there might have to be additional coronavirus restrictions put in place if the public isn’t “vigilant.”

“To even contemplate doing any type of lockdown, honestly it’s insane,” DeSantis said during a press conference.

“That’s not gonna happen in the state of Florida,” he continued. “We’re gonna continue doing what works, but under no circumstances would we entertain anything of the sort.”

Biden in his prime-time Thursday address said beating the coronavirus pandemic depends on “national unity.”

“And national unity isn’t just how politics and politicians vote in Washington or what the loudest voices say on cable or online. Unity is what we do together as fellow Americans,” he said. “Because if we don’t stay vigilant and the conditions change, then we may have to reinstate restrictions to get back on track. And, please, we don’t want to do again.”

Biden did not specify any states when talking about the potential for added restrictions.

Still, DeSantis insisted on Friday, “we are not going to let him lock down Florida.”

“We like the fact that people have been able to work here,” the governor said. “So we’re going to continue doing what works, but under no circumstances would we entertain doing anything of the sort.”

It’s been just over one year since the WHO declared the coronavirus a pandemic. Since then, more than 29 million people in the United States have contracted the virus, according to the latest data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. Of that, more than 500,000 Americans have died.

Florida alone has more than 1.9 million confirmed coronavirus cases, according to Hopkins data.

DeSantis’ remarks come as crowds of mask-less spring breakers appear in the state, and as numerous COVID-19 variants emerge.

“We’ve made so much progress. This is not the time to let up,” Biden said in his address. “Just as we are emerging from a dark winter into a hopeful spring and summer is not the time to not stick with the rules.”

DeSantis’ office did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment.

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