JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis said he will issue an order barring companies like Airbnb from renting homes and rooms to vacationers for the next two weeks to further discourage visitors who might carry COVID-19.
The governor didn’t elaborate on whether that would be in a new executive order or an extension of the Monday order.
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“The concern is people in some of these hotspots wanting to then come here. Now is not really the time to do that. So the vacation rentals will be suspended for two weeks. If you’re in one now, then finish and go home,” DeSantis said. “But for any new rentals, there’s going to be a suspension on that. And we appreciate the assistance of people.”
Along St. George Street, one of the most populated, busiest tourist streets in St. Augustine, brick walkways that are usually filled by hundreds of people were nearly empty on Friday.
Dozens of businesses and hotels in the area were closed as well. The ban, however, does not apply to hotels or motels.
DeSantis made the announcement as he made an order to anyone arriving in the state from Louisiana to self-quarantine, like travelers arriving from New York. The order will require anyone who arrives from Louisiana to isolate themselves for two weeks under the threat of a 60-day jail sentence.
He issued earlier this week identical restrictions on travelers arriving from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.