Here is the New York Times version:
Jacksonville, Trump’s New Convention Site, Will Now Require Face Masks
Republicans moved their national convention to Florida to avoid social distancing measures and masks, but officials in Jacksonville are mandating new precautions as coronavirus infections surge.
- June 29, 2020, 3:24 p.m. ET
MIAMI — Florida billed itself as a coronavirus oasis when it
wooed the Republican National Convention: The pandemic seemed under control, and Republican state and city leaders welcomed a major televised event to show off the progress and cement votes for President Trump in the nation’s biggest presidential battleground.
That pitch collided with the grim reality of the coronavirus and its explosive surge in Florida when Jacksonville, the convention’s new host, imposed a requirement on Monday that people wear masks indoors, precisely the mandate that the Republican Party had hoped to avoid for its celebrations.
The mask order is almost certain to rankle Mr. Trump, whose
demands for a traditional, packed rally forced the move earlier this month to Jacksonville from Charlotte, N.C., in the first place.
The resurgence of the virus in Florida, where the number of new cases has been rising nearly every day, has turned the convention into an even riskier gamble. In a must-win state for Mr. Trump — and arguably a must-win city for Republicans — recent polls have shown that Jacksonville residents do not want the convention.
Masks will be required in indoor public places and in any other gathering spots where social distancing is not possible, Jacksonville officials said. It is unclear how long the mask order will be in place, but it would presumably apply to the 15,000-seat VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, where three nights of convention speeches, including Mr. Trump’s, are scheduled for Aug. 24-27.
In a telling move, Mayor Lenny Curry of Jacksonville, a Republican, who had lobbied for the convention and resisted a mask requirement, was absent from Monday’s announcement. His spokeswoman said he had a prior family obligation.
“We are still two months out from that event,” he said last week. “In the meantime, we have to focus on what’s happening in the city and what we can control.”
His administration’s policy reversal came after a morning conference call with local hospitals. Duval County, which includes Jacksonville, is now
averaging about 384 new cases of the virus a day. Two weeks ago, that figure was 32.
In a statement, the Republican National Committee said it would comply “with local health regulations in place at the time.”
“The event is still two months away, and we are planning to offer health precautions including but not limited to temperature checks, available P.P.E., aggressive sanitizing protocols, and available Covid-19 testing,” the statement said.
Mr. Trump did not immediately respond to the announcement. But as he has pushed states to reopen their economies, he has shown an ability to bend local regulations to his will. Officials in Tulsa, Okla.,
rescinded a curfew ahead of the president’s rally there earlier this month after Mr. Trump said on Twitter that he had discussed the curfew with the mayor, a Republican.
