Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) faced backlash on Thursday after he falsely claimed that no one in the U.S. under the age of 25 had died from COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus.
“This particular pandemic is one where, I don’t think, nationwide there’s been one single fatality under 25, for whatever reason, it just doesn’t seem to threaten, you know, kids,” DeSantis told educators during a meeting about distance learning during the pandemic.
However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports on its website that one infant and four people aged 15 to 24 are confirmed to have died from the disease in the U.S. The deaths of infants in Illinois and Connecticut have also reportedly been linked to COVID-19.
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DeSantis’ response to the virus has drawn widespread outrage. He delayed a statewide lockdown to control the spread of the illness and allowed large loopholes for churches and businesses to continue operating. On Wednesday, he wore one glove during a news conference and repeatedly touched his face and clasped his hands together, essentially negating any protection the glove may have given him.
This time, DeSantis was criticized for spreading misinformation about who is dying from the disease and appearing to downplay the threat that the virus (which does appear to pose a greater risk to older people) could have on the young: