Moskowitz, Who Oversaw FL’s Coronavirus Response, Resigns: Report

FLORIDA — Jared Moskowitz, director of Florida’s Division of Emergency Management, announced he’ll resign from the position, Florida Politics reported.

In this role, he’s overseen the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. This included establishing COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites across Florida, reports said.

There’s been much criticism of how Florida has handled the pandemic, including the rollout of the coronavirus vaccine over the past two months. Many residents who are eligible for the vaccine have had difficulty registering for appointments and have expressed frustration with the process.

The 40-year-old Parkland native told the South Florida Sun Sentinel that he plans to submit his formal resignation to Gov. Ron DeSantis Tuesday. He’ll remain in the position through April 30.

While Moskowitz, a Democrat, doesn’t have a new job lined up yet, he’s indicated he plans to spend more time with his family, including two sons who are 7- and 4-years-old.

“On the third anniversary of the shooting at my hometown, at my high school, (Marjory Stoneman Douglas,) I am reminded not just by that but by the pandemic that tomorrow is not guaranteed,” he told the Sun Sentinel. “I have spent a tremendous amount of time away from my kids, my family quarantined without me for the first three months.”

Through the pandemic and other emergencies, he has “tried to serve the families of Florida to the best of my ability,” he told the newspaper.

Now, “it’s time for me to go home to my family,” Moskowitz added.

His departure comes at a time when just 3,787 new COVID-19 cases were reported by the state on Sunday, according to data from Florida’s Department of Health. That’s lowest number of new cases reported in a single day since October.

The total number of cases in Florida since the pandemic started last year has reached 1,830,988, as of Monday.