MIAMI, Fla. – Today, Governor Rick Scott gave opening remarks at the Florida Department of Health’s (DOH) Zika Preparedness Planning Meeting in Miami. DOH hosted the meeting with county health departments and mosquito control districts from across the state, as well as CDC officials, to discuss ongoing efforts to prepare for and combat the Zika Virus.
Governor Scott said, “While Florida does not have any identified areas with active Zika transmission, DOH, mosquito control districts and community partners across the state have been tirelessly working together to help combat the spread of this disease and keep our state safe. We know that summer means more rain, more mosquitos, and more travel-related cases, and that is why we must continue to take aggressive preparedness actions. It is also important that all Floridians do their part to dump standing water and wear bug spray in order to help fight the spread of Zika. We will continue to remain in contact with our federal and state partners and we remain fully committed to doing everything we can to protect our families and visitors.”
Surgeon General Dr. Celeste Philip said, “We have learned a lot about how to prepare for and respond to the Zika virus over the past year and it is crucial that we continue to work with our state and federal partners to keep protecting our communities. I appreciate Governor Scott for his leadership in this ongoing fight and the county health departments and mosquito control districts that traveled here today to further discuss ways we can combat the Zika virus in Florida.”