Duval County

New York city man infected with COVID-19 stopped at Jacksonville International Airport

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis said a man traveling from New York, who recently tested positive for COVID-19, was intercepted by the National Guard at the Jacksonville International Airport.

Desantis said the man thought he had recovered from having COVID-19 symptoms but when he made it to the airport the National Guard stopped him.

“He could’ve stayed at home and got better, self-quarantined because I’m pretty sure he knew before he even got on the plane,” said Desiree Washington, a mother flying through Jacksonville.

Washington made the trip from Indiana to Jacksonville to come pick up her one-year-old son.

With a container of disinfectant wipes tucked in her arms, she’s making sure not to get infected or spread germs.

“You have to think about the kids whose immune systems are not as strong as yours, you’ve got to think about your grandma you might take it back to,” Washington said.

Action News Jax found out that a flight from New York was canceled moments before it was supposed to arrive in Jacksonville on Saturday.

This week, DeSantis issued an executive order that would require a 14-day self-quarantine for everyone coming into Florida from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and New Orleans.

In a news conference, DeSantis called those areas virus hot zones.

“I think it an issue when people in hot zones leaving hot zone coming to other parts of the country,” DeSantis said.

“I am happy that they are taking the precautions -- that they need to simmer it down a little bit -- because that’s an example that they are taking it seriously,” Washington said.