With a COVID-19 positivity test rate that’s “still pretty low”, according to Indian River County Administrator Jason Brown, the county commission Tuesday decided that local retail stores should be able to join restaurants in expanding their business outdoors.
“Yard sales, sidewalk sales. Perhaps a little shot in the arm for our retailers without having to apply for the special use permit,” said commissioner Joseph Flescher.
The move follows last month’s relaxation of code enforcement laws that now allow restaurants to offer al fresco dining and Monday’s re-opening of the county administration building, veterans services offices, libraries and ballfields for in-person appointments and reservations.
Commissioners also directed Brown to write a letter to Governor Ron DeSantis to apply for a share of some $8.3 billion in federal CARES Act funds set aside for Florida to help local governments with COVID-19-related expenses.
Meanwhile, five new cases of the viral disease were reported Tuesday in the county for a total of 138, with a death count of ten.
So far, 6,036 people in the county have been tested, with 5,898 testing negative.
