Ron DeSantis and Donald Trump | AP Photo/Alex Brandon DeSantis supports Trump's plan to quarantine New York

TALLAHASSEE — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Saturday said he would support plans by President Donald Trump to quarantine New York City in an effort to stop the spread of Covid-19 in Florida, saying the city's still-operating subways have become a Petri dish for the virus to spread.

DeSantis said during a news conference livestreamed from the state Capitol that he spoke with Trump earlier Saturday about a new type of virus testing that provides results in minutes. Trump then brought up the topic of quarantining New York City.


“My issue is, whatever works,” DeSantis said before quickly expressing frustration about New Yorkers who he said were evading shelter-in-place restrictions by coming to Florida.

“How is it fair to them to just be air dropping in people from the hot zones, bringing infections with them and seeding the communities with new infections that they’re trying to stamp out?” DeSantis said. “I just think it’s bad policy to have people dispersing from there, and then seeding in other parts of the country, including the state of Florida.”

Trump on Saturday told reporters outside the White House he could announce a large-scale, two-week quarantine of New York and the surrounding area later in the day.

“We might not have to do it, but there’s a possibility that sometime today we’ll do a quarantine — short-term, two weeks for New York, probably New Jersey, certain parts of Connecticut,” Trump told reporters.

DeSantis has already sent the National Guard to screen New York passengers at seven Florida airports. The guardsmen direct each passenger to self-quarantine for 14 days and take information that’s handed over to local authorities for follow-up. And the Florida Highway Patrol is now setting up a screening checkpoint on Interstate 95.

“You can’t go to a state park because you may transmit COVID-19, but you can have one of these super-spreaders, sneezing and coughing for two hours and then just get off and that’s fine," DeSantis said. "It’s just absolutely ridiculous."

The screening at airports has reduced the number of flights from New York, but an all-out restriction would help, DeSantis said. New York City has diagnosed 29,000 people with the virus. DeSantis lamented that the city is still allowing its subway system to operate. The city has reduced service, resulting in reports of packed trains.

“They’re packed like sardines on there, and look, that’s their city and they can do what they want,” he said. “But a fact of the matter is that some of the people on that subway may be getting on these flights and coming into very close contact with some folks.”

DeSantis later fired back at Democratic lawmakers who are demanding more stringent statewide restrictions. His light-handed approach of leaving those decisions to counties and municipalities is working, he said. DeSantis has received criticism for being slow to close beaches and bars to spring break crowds in his state.

“Do you hear about those same people complaining about the New York City subway system being open?" he said. “I mean, give me a break.”

As of Saturday morning, there were 3,763 people diagnosed with coronavirus in Florida, and 54 people have died, according to a state Department of Health website. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Florida is among the states with the most diagnosed cases so far.