While Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade Counties are still a short way behind, most of Florida enters “phase one” of reopening starting Today (Monday, May 4). If you are wondering what that means, here’s what you need to know:

Retail stores, restaurants, museums, and libraries can reopen but they must operate at 25 percent capacity, with restaurants also making sure that all people are a minimum of 6 feet apart. Florida's state parks will be a part of the phase reopening as visitors will experience limited hours, capacity, and services.

Bars, gyms, and personal services like hairdressers will remain closed.

Schools will continue distance learning through the end of the school year. And visitors are still banned from senior living facilities.

Elective surgeries resume on Monday as part of phase one of the reopen Florida plan.

Gov. Ron DeSantis was in Daytona Beach on Sunday speaking with doctors about their preparations at Halifax Health. DeSantis says doctors have enough personal protective equipment (PPE) to go through with this phase. The hospital says they are taking precautions ahead of the surgeries.

Phase two will not begin until the state continues to see fewer cases, has ample capacity at hospitals, testing continues to increase, and there is plenty of PPEs for front line workers.

Phase 2 of Reopening Florida

During phase two of Florida’s reopening (which will likely occur sometime this month) and nightclubs could open for the first time since getting shut down on April 3. They would just have to operate at 50 percent capacity.

Gyms could also open up at a 75 percent capacity. Then restaurants under these recommendations could also bump up capacity. Then things like salons and barbershops could reopen with limitations.

DeSantis has not set a date for the second phase of the state's reopening, saying he wants to see how the first phase goes.

Also, when the statewide stay-at-home order expires, it is possible DeSantis could work with cities and counties to reinstate the restrictions if case counts remain high or increase.

Palm Beach County

For those in Palm Beach or other South Florida counties, hold tight! Good news is just around the corner. You should still maintain proper social distancing in accordance with the CDC and state guidelines, but rest easy knowing that things will be back to normal relatively soon.