-As Florida continues to
experience record-high numbers
of confirmed coronavirus cases,
Republican officials are scaling
back on their convention
in Jacksonville
after months of planning.
Party officials will include
a mix of outdoor
and indoor venues
for the proceedings in August.
The updated plan includes,
but is not limited to,
on-site temperature checks,
available PPE, aggressive
sanitizing protocols,
available COVID-19 testing,
and a restricted crowd size.
Admittance will be limited
to regular delegates
for the first three days
of the convention,
or about 2,500 people.
For the final day,
when the President attends,
delegates will be allowed
to bring a guest,
and alternate delegates
can also attend,
totaling 6,000
to 7,000 people.
Republican National Committee
Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel
says the changes are to comply
with Florida
guidelines after the party
moved most of the convention
from Charlotte,
North Carolina.
But some Florida officials are
considering additional measures
to try to stem
the spread of the virus.
-We need a sense of urgency
in our community right now.
It really has to come from the
president, form the governor.
-McDaniel and President Trump
have been determined
to hold
an in-person convention,
and some of
the President's advisors
see the days-long
television event
as crucial to gaining momentum
in the polls,
as he trails Joe Biden,
the former vice president
and presumptive
Democratic nominee.
