Orange County mask mandate remains in place in phase 3, mayor says

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said he was not happy with Gov. Ron DeSantis’s announcement that the state is moving into phase 3 of reopening on Friday.

He said the announcement put him in a bad position, having not gotten a heads-up that the news was coming. Demings said protecting Floridians should be a partnership between local and state leaders.

READ: Florida moving into phase 3 of reopening: What that means for restaurants, theme parks & more

“We’ve been put in a position where numerous businesses have called us and its not good for government when we are not all in the same sheet of music,” he said.

During the news conference, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said if you don’t feel comfortable going to a business at 100% capacity, don’t do it. He said that way businesses will know and cater to the customer’s comfort level.

Demings also made clear that the county’s mask mandate remains in effect.

Stay tuned to Channel 9 Eyewitness News for updates.

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