As the number of COVID19 positives grow, so will the measures governments take to try to contain the coronavirus pandemic that is shaking the entire country.
On Tuesday, both Miami and Miami Beach issued shelter-in-place orders that does more than just “urge” residents to stay home, it requires them to — except under the same type and number of circumstances as we’ve been under since March 16.
“I’ve been trying to do it for the last week,” said Miami Mayor Francis Suarez,in his daily dairy video from quarantine, which is prolonged now that he tested positive for coronavirus again this week in an effort to get out of jail. “Unfortunately, I’ve been getting s
ome resistance internally.”
He wasn’t referring to Miami-Dade Carlos Gimenez, who has refused to call his stay-at-home order a shelter-in-place order because of semantics. Baby X was talking about City Attorney Victoria Mendez, whose job is apparently to butt heads with the mayor and say anything he wants to do can’t get done.
“I think it became pretty evident that we could do it when another city did it,” he told Ladra Tuesday evening, referring to Miami Beach, which had issued the order earlier. Suarez explained that it wasn’t a traditional shelter-in-place order like right before a hurricane or during a mass shooting, where people have to stay wherever they are until it passes, even if they are not at home. But the wording is strong to send a strong message.
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People can still buy groceries, pick up something at the pharmacy, fill up their tanks or go for a walk. Healthcare providers, first responders and other “essential workers” will continue to walk freely around. They can even go get a free hot meal from noon to 4 p.m. at 5120 NW 24 Ave., courtesy Miami-Dade Commissioner Audrey Edmonson, the Carrie Meek Foundation and a couple of other non-profits.
Still, a slew of other cities’ leaders are considering the same kind of shelter-in-place order.
Gimenez, on the other hand, has resisted not only the city’s encouragement to go full throttle but also his own commissioners. In 
a pissy letter of response to Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava — who had asked him to issue a shelter in place order and raise the level of activation at the Emerency Operations Center — he blew her off because, as always, he knows best.
“While ‘shelter in place’ is the buzz phrase of the day, telling residents to actually do so could be confusing, especially to our seniors,” he wrote, proving that Grimenez is grumpy about coming out of isolation. He’s happier alone.
“For all intents and purposes, my Executive Orders and their amendments have allowed us to keep as many people as possible safe at home while allowing flexibility for absolutely essential activities, like going to a healthcare provider, grocery store or pharmacy, or going to work to provide essential services to residents,” Gimenez wrote.
Read related: Week 2 of Miami-Dade COVID19 crisis brings more testing, more regulations
“My messaging is much clearer and less panic-inducing than others who have issued ‘shelter in place orders,’ which essentially limit travel and interaction no less than the orders I have already issued.”
Less panic-inducing? Perhaps. Clearer? No way. He has been all over the board with those amendments.
The Miami mayor, in his daily diary video, thanked his new BFF, Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla, who was supposed to bring up a shelter-in-place order at Wednesday night’s first COVID crisis commission meeting, which will be virtual because 
people have to shelter in place, and that place is not City Hall.
Not only was ADLP a go-between for Baby X and Tricky Vicky, “he was adamant about it,” Suarez said, “and it’s good when you have people who are on the same page.”
“The mayor and I have been discussing it for a week,” Diaz de la Portilla told Ladra in a text message on Tuesday night. “We both thought it was the responsible thing to do to flatten the curve and get ahead of this very aggressive virus.”
Ladra is suspicious of Diaz de la Portilla’s motives. This emergency gives them all kinds of cover to do all kinds of crazy stuff, like buy 20,000 tests for $1 million from a company linked to billionaire Phillip Frost, the museum guy and serial campaign donor.
But it is the right thing to do, according to all the scientists and the recommendations from the Center for Disease Control.
Read related: Miami to test seniors for COVID19 this week before Marlins Park drive-through
In his video, which was quick for Suarez — it’s almost like he’s punishing everyone else because he has to stay inside longer — the mayor came in real hip and smooth. “Guys, coming at you with another diary entry and some important information,” he said, 
before springing the shelter-in-place order.
“We’re hoping people get the message to stay home. And if you’re coming for Spring Break, go home,” Suarez said, sounding like he got the Gimenez memo on the new tourism slogan: “Miami, don’t see it.”
We will hear more about the shelter-in-place order and the by-appointment-only testing at Marlins Park for pre-qualified seniors with symptoms and a prescription — seniors with symptoms but no car can call 305-960-5050 and have a Miami Fire paramedic come give the test — at Wednesday’s meeting, which starts at 8 p.m. and is going to somehow be virtual so people can participate. Nobody could give Ladra details on that Tuesday. But they are forging ahead.
“We will be discussing a curfew and additional measures in the sunshine and with full commission participation,” Diaz de la Portilla told Ladra. “The order is the beginning.”
Miami Beach, Miami issue ‘shelter-in-place’ orders to curb, contain COVID19 added by Ladra on
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