Gov. Rick Scott wants immediate action to prepare for the Zika virus and is calling on President Barack Obama to prioritize items and funding to protect Floridians from Zika virus in time for Hurricane Season.
On Wednesday, Scott sent a letter to the president, calling on his administration to immediately provide items to prepare for the possible spread of the Zika virus, a mosquito-borne illness which can cause birth defects if pregnant women become infected.
In the letter, Scott slams Obama and Congress for not taking immediate action to inhibit the spread of the virus. While not incredibly widespread, the Zika virus has taken its toll in places like Florida, where humidity, rain and hot weather all contribute to a growing mosquito population.
“The fact that Congress has not taken immediate action to protect our nation from Zika before hurricane season began and we have entered the heart of summer heat, heavy rainfall and a growing mosquito population, is profoundly disappointing,” Scott wrote. “However, in order to best protect the 20 million people in Florida and our many visitors from the spread of Zika, I cannot waste any time on disappointment. Florida needs action from the federal government now.”
Scott elaborates and says he had already made requests for specific items from the Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell, but the requests have yet to be fulfilled.
Scott’s requests include 5,000 Zika preparedness kits as well as resources to enhance mosquito surveillance and abatement as well as resources to increase training for mosquito control technicians.
Many counties statewide have also made specific requests for items like insecticides and mosquito spraying equipment.
Florida’s two senators -- Marco Rubio and Bill Nelson -- pushed for a $1.9 billion plan to eradicate the virus, but the proposal was ultimately slashed to a $622 million package to help contain the virus.
Without these items and much-needed funding, Florida could be in trouble, Scott says.
“There is no doubt that we fall further and further behind fighting the spread of this virus with every day that passes and we are not fully prepared,” wrote Scott. “In Florida, we learned that the best way to protect our people during a hurricane is to have a good game plan before the storm comes. With the Zika virus, the storm is predicted by the CDC to be just around the corner, and we need federal action now to keep our citizens safe and healthy through what would no doubt be a disaster if this virus becomes mosquito-borne in our state.”
Hurricane Season, which begins June 1, will only increase the number of mosquitos in the Sunshine State since the insect breeds more during the rainy season.
View Scott's full letter here.
Reach reporter Allison Nielsen by email at allison@sunshinestatenews.com or follow her on Twitter: @AllisonNielsen.
