Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez announces expansion of hotel program to protect households from COVID-19 exposure

In partnership with the state, Miami-Dade County will be adding 400 hotel rooms to isolate those individuals who test positive for COVID-19 and protect at-risk family members from getting infected. 

“This is a critical step to stop the spread of the virus in multi-generational households, especially for families that do not have sufficient room for a family member to isolate from others,” Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez said. “I want to thank Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida Emergency Management Director Jared Moskowitz for their partnership and swift action to make a hotel available as we continue to take measures to tamp down the spread of COVID-19.”

The County’s existing program pays for hotel rooms for individuals recommended by the state Department of Health who have received hospital care and are released to go home but still need to isolate for a number of days. The expansion of the program will also help families with a member who has tested positive for the virus but does not necessarily have symptoms, though that person can still spread the virus to family members.

At a Wednesday meeting with the League of Cities and almost two dozen mayors from the County’s 34 cities, Mayor Gimenez and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez discussed with the group expanding the program to serve multigenerational households where grandparents and parents can be at higher risk from a younger member testing positive. 

The recent spike in COVID-19 infections among 18- to 34-year-olds has put multigenerational households, common in Miami-Dade County, at particular risk of having an older member end up in the hospital. 

“We want to protect our families and our hospital nurses and doctors, who have been working nonstop,” Mayor Gimenez said.

“I want to stress once again that everyone must take personal responsibility, wear masks in public spaces inside and outdoors, stay six feet apart to social distance and if they live with others and are out and about, they need to take measures to protect their loved ones. That’s the only way we can beat this virus —together.”