Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis reiterated his commitment to keeping the state's restaurants open on Tuesday, saying the risk of getting coronavirus is less at a restaurant than it is at home.
DeSantis held a news conference at Okeechobee Steakhouse in West Palm Beach, where he said service industries including restaurants, lodging, and hospitality have "taken it on the chin."
He said contact tracing has not shown that large amounts of people are getting infected at restaurants.
"It doesn't mean it can't happen here but I think we have to understand the vast, vast majority of infections are occurring in people's homes," DeSantis said.
The governor compared Florida to other states where restaurants have been closed amid the pandemic.
"Some may want to shut you down, we want to pull you up," DeSantis said. "We've got your back, if you're somebody who's a waitress or a cook or you're a family-owned business, you're an important part of our state."
DeSantis' comments came as Florida has seen increases in COVID-19 infections following the Thanksgiving holiday.
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DeSantis was in Tampa Monday to announce the arrival of the first COVID-19 vaccine in the state.
