County Honors Business Compliance ‘Strike Teams’ for Protecting Local Businesses During the Pandemic

Orange County’s Business Compliance “Strike Teams” were created in July 2020 with the goal of helping local businesses achieve CDC compliance through the implementation of proper workplace guidelines and procedures to protect patrons and employees against the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

There were five teams consisting of one staff member from Orange County Government Code Enforcement, Florida Department of Health in Orange County, and the Orange County Fire Marshal. The teams visited nearly 7,000 business owners and provided free face masks, hand sanitizer and signage during the course of 214 days.

The teams experienced an overwhelming amount of support from business owners, achieving an overall compliance rate of 99 percent.

In response to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ executive order suspending all local government mandates, Mayor Demings retired the “Strike Teams,” that were primarily tasked with enforcing the County’s face covering mandate through CDC guidelines. The Mayor and County staff recently honored the teams for their dedication to keeping residents and guests safe throughout the past year.

Orange County has one of the lowest percentages of COVID-19 deaths versus cases in any other major metropolitan area in Florida. Additionally, Orange County’s average of transmissions and deaths is 40 percent lower than the state average.