Palm Beach County leaders were meeting Monday morning to discuss plans to close all beaches for the Fourth of July weekend.
Mayor Dave Kerner told reporters Monday that the beach closures will be in effect from Friday through Sunday.
Kerner cited the need to take action because of the rising number of coronavirus cases in Palm Beach County.
County officials were holding a meeting at the Emergency Operations Center to craft the language of the order.
The move comes after similar actions by Miami-Dade and Broward counties to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Florida counties
Palm Beach County Mayor Dave Kerner said Monday that beaches in Palm Beach County will be closed July 3 to July 5.
Mayor Dave Kerner on Palm Beach County Fourth of July beach closures
By: Peter BurkePosted at 8:54 AM, Jun 29, 2020 and last updated 11:37 AM, Jun 29, 2020
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Palm Beach County leaders were meeting Monday morning to discuss plans to close all beaches for the Fourth of July weekend.
Mayor Dave Kerner told reporters Monday that the beach closures will be in effect from Friday through Sunday.
Kerner cited the need to take action because of the rising number of coronavirus cases in Palm Beach County.
County officials were holding a meeting at the Emergency Operations Center to craft the language of the order.
The move comes after similar actions by Miami-Dade and Broward counties to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
“I have my own concerns about folks — good folks — coming from Broward and Miami-Dade up to our beaches if they were to remain open and that would remain or present some unique public safety issues,” Kerner said.
Florida has seen several record-breaking single-day increases in COVID-19 cases over the past few weeks, prompting Palm Beach County to issue a mask mandate.
“We will always put the public health first and foremost,” Kerner said. “I don’t mean to demean or make light of the fact that our beaches won’t be accessible during the Fourth of July weekend, a day that we celebrate our country and our patriotism, but sometimes we have to make sacrifices.”