Statement from Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez on COVID-19 contact tracing

We have been working closely with Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Surgeon General’s team to increase contact tracing throughout Miami-Dade County. I appreciate the governor’s commitment to helping expand contact tracing in South Florida, where COVID-19 has hit hardest.

I am happy to announce that state and county legal staffs worked out all the final details late last night and I have signed the $14 million  agreement to have an additional 250 contact tracers in Miami-Dade County through the end of the year. 

The contact tracers will work for the Florida Department of Health and be paid for by Miami-Dade County funds received from the federal CARES Act. 

As I told the Surgeon General during a recent meeting, Miami-Dade County has been ready to step in and do whatever is possible within the state’s purview.  So, I’m very happy today that we are moving forward. 

Miami-Dade is also preparing to launch a voluntary “Community Empowerment Program” through an App that would help our residents track virus hot spots to avoid the spread. I will have more details soon. 

All of these tools can help us tamp down the COVID-19 curve. 

Most important, all residents must take responsibility and help stop the spread of the virus by wearing masks in all public spaces — inside and outdoors — and maintaining social distancing of at least 6 feet, as well as frequent hand washing. 

If everyone does their part, we will see our positivity rate go down, our hospitals will not be overwhelmed, and we can start to reopen businesses guided by New Normal rules.

I want to thank Gov. DeSantis for his leadership and support of Miami-Dade County’s 2.8 million residents as we continue to work strategically and collaboratively to fight the spread of COVID-19.