Zero mandatory quarantine orders issued in Florida, despite growing coronavirus cases

Florida Department of Health officials tell Contact 5 they have yet to issue any mandatory quarantine or isolation orders in the state.

ASKING WHAT HAPPENED TO THEJETBLUE PASSENGER WHO TESTEDPOSITIVE FOR CORONAVIRUS, MID-FLIGHT ON A PLANE FROM NEWYORK TO PALM BEACH.

CONTACTWENT STRAIGHT TO THE PALMBEACH COUNTY SHERIFF AND STATEATTORNEY TO FIND OUT IANYTHING CAN BE DONE TO HOLDHIM ACCOUNTABLE.

INVESTIGATORMERRIS BADCOCK EXPLAINS WHTHE ANSWER ISN'T SIMPL<< HERE'S THE THING -- THECASE IS STILL UNDERINVESTIGATION -- SO WE WEREN'TABLE TO GET INTO TOO MANYSPECIFICS ABOUT WHAT COULDHAPPEN TO THAT JETBLUEPASSENGER.

BUT WE LEARNED LAWENFORCEMENT AGENCIES NEED HELPFROM LAWMAKERS IF THEY WANSTRONGER PENALTIES FOR PEOPLEWHO BLATENTLY ENDANGER OTHERSWHEN THEY HAVE CORONAVIRUS.HUNDREDS OF CORONAVIRUS CASESIN FLORIDA -- AND WHILE PEOPLEARE BEING ASKED TO SELF-QUARANTINE...CONTACT 5CONFIRMED THE DEPARTMENT OFHEALTH HAS YET TO ISSUE ASINGLE OFFICIAL QUARANTIORDER.

THERE'S NO QUARANTINEORDERS ANYWHERE IN THE STATERIGHT NOW FOR SURE.

IF ONE ISORDERED - AND IT HAS TO BEFROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.ITFOR QUARANTINE ACONFINEMENT.

FLORIDA D-O-HOFFICIALS SAY "ALL INDIVIDUAHAVE VOLUNTARILY ISOLATED ANDQUARENTINED" -- SO THE NEEDFOR AN OFFICIAL ORDER HASN'TBEEN NECESSARY.

BUT WITHOUT ANOFFICIAL ORDER IN PLACE, IT'SDIFFICULT FOR LAW ENFORCEMENTTO ARREST PEOPLE WHO HAVECORONAVIRUS AND CHOOSE TOENDANGER OTHERS.

- THEYHOPING PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BECOMPLIANT SELF COMPLAINT.

MYEXPERIENCE IN 50 YEARS OFDOING THIS JOB IS PEOPLE ARENOT SELF COMPLIANT, THATYOU HAVE PEOPLE IN JAILBECAUSE THEY DONLAW TO START WITH.

PEOPLE LIKETHE JETBLUE PASSENGER WHOTESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID 19BUT STILL TRAVELED FROM NEWYORK TO PALM BEACH WHEN HE WSUPPOSED TO SELF QUARANTINE.SCOTT RODMAN WAS ON THAT FLIGHT- IN THE ROW ACROSS FROM THEINFECTED PASSENGER.

HE MADEIRRESPONSIBLE DECISION.

HEMADE A BAD MISTAKE STATEATTORNEY DAVE ARONBERG CAN'TRELEASE MUCH ABOUT THE CASESINCE IT'S STILL UNDERINVESTIGATION.

COMMUNICATEDWITH THE GOVERNORDEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ON THEPARTICULAR INSTANCE OF THEJETBLUE PASSENGER AND AQUARANTINE ORDER WAS NOTISSUED THERE.

BUT HE SAYSTHESE ARE UNCHARTED WATERS -AND IT'S UP TO LAWMAKERS TOBEEF UP THE BOOKS IF THEY WANTMORE STRINGENT ENFORCEMENTDURING PANDEMICS.

STATE LAWSARE NOT EQUIPPED TO HANDLETHIS SITUATION, AND THATUNTIL THE STATE LEGISLATUREMODERNIZES THIS LAWS ITGOING TO BE UP TO ALL OF US TOWATCH EACH OTHERMAKE SURE THAT WEBECAUSE WETOGETHER.

IF OFFICIALQUARANTINE ORDERS ARE ISSUED-- AND VIOLATED -- SHERIFF RICBRADSHAW ASSURED US PEOPWILL BE ARRESTED AND TAKEN TOA QUARANTINED AREA IN THECOUNTY JAIL.

WE HAVE REACHEDOUT TO SEVERAL LOCAL LAWMAKESTO SEE IF THEY ARE CONSIDERINGBILLS THAT WOULD BOOST PUBLICHEALTH LAWS...AND WE WILL KEEPYOU UPDATES ON THEIRRESPONSES.

I'M CONTACT 5INVESTIGATOR MERRIS BADCOCK,WPTV NEWS CHANNEL 5.