COVID puts a lid on lively party town South Beach - WPLG Local 10

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MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – Fourth of July along South Beach is looking a whole lot different this year, compared to year's past.

And visitors are noticing.

"It's a lot different from what I'm expecting," Victor Edwards, visiting from Atlanta, said. "The beaches are closed, but everybody is respectful. Everybody is doing the social distancing."

For starters, the beach is empty after being shut down on Friday, part on a countywide effort to cut down on potential gathering spots after Miami-Dade County has seen record-breaking COVID-19 case numbers. The shoreline is expected to remain closed through at least Tuesday.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez issued a statement on June 26 announcing the beach closures, but not mincing words when he said he would have no problem extending the closure.

“I will be signing an emergency order on Saturday to close all beaches in Miami-Dade County starting Friday, July 3, and ending Tuesday, July 7. The closure may be extended if conditions do not improve and people do not follow New Normal rules requiring masks to be worn always inside commercial establishments and outdoors when social distancing of at least 6 feet is not possible,” the statement said.

Ocean Drive, usually packed with partiers, now making space for businesses to help with social distancing efforts.

“I’m a little bummed by it to be honest,” Edwards said. “South Beach is known for the beaches, is known for the lounges, the bars, the nightlife.”

Those who are out and about will need to adhere to a countywide mask mandate, which requires face coverings in most situations, even if social distancing is possible.

Some are following the rules, while in other places there isn’t a face mask to be found.

The holiday beach ban is once again impacting businesses that now have to cope with a 10 p.m. countywide curfew, which marks an early end to a holiday that would, at that time, just be getting started.

“We were waiting for this weekend because it was on a Saturday this year, we expected people to start coming on Thursday. I honestly think it was not the right move. I don’t think you stop the pandemic like that, totally,” South Beach business owner Domenico D’addio said.

Edwards said he is making the best of his visit. “The main thing is trying to keep people safe,” he said.

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COVID puts a lid on lively party town South Beach - WPLG Local 10
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