TAMPA, Fla. — On a record-breaking day for coronavirus cases in Florida, Vice President Mike Pence praised Gov. Ron DeSantis' response to the deadly pandemic, particularly when it comes to testing.
"We're with you. We're gonna make sure you have whatever you need," Pence said during a joint news conference at USF Health in Tampa on Thursday. "We fully support your prudent steps in working to slow the spread.:
The vice president said Florida is performing around 60,000 COVID-19 tests per day, and he commended the governor for his "innovative efforts" to expand testing throughout the state.
"We're gonna continue to find ways to scale testing all across the state. To go from diagnostic testing to even surveillance testing," Pence said.
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According to the latest numbers from the Florida Department of Health on Thursday, there are 169,106 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state, a record increase of 10,109 cases from the day before.
Despite that staggering total, Pence tried to strike an optimistic tone with regard to the productivity of testing and personal protective equipment.
"We're in a much better place thanks to the leadership of President Trump. The innovation of American industry," Pence said.
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DeSantis said his main message to Floridians heading into the Fourth of July holiday weekend is to avoid enclosed spaces, crowds, and close contact situations.
"In Florida, when it's hot, people retreat into the A/C," DeSantis said. "They get close together, they have a party. You're much off being in the 95 degree heat than being in that enclosed space with poor ventilation."
Pence last visited Florida back in May when the state was in "full Phase One" of its reopening plan.