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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Friday lifted all COVID-19 restrictions on businesses, including restaurants and bars, and dropped penalties for not wearing a face mask - sparking a protest among upset residents.

DeSantis made the announcements during a noon press conference in St. Petersburg, and quickly drew ire from residents who protested the new protocols.

He argued that threat of the coronavirus pandemic - which has surpassed seven million cases and 203,000 deaths - had eased sufficiently to allow the state to enter Phase 3 of its reopening.