Extreme policies, average statistics raise questions around Florida's Covid-19 data

Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, policy decisions in Florida have been among the most extreme -- often among the first, the only or the few. Florida was one of the first states to roll back capacity restrictions on restaurants and bars and require schools to offer in-person learning. It is one of a few states that never implemented a mask mandate, blocking local jurisdictions from enforcing mask-related rules.

However, various Covid-19 data points peg the state right in the middle of the pack. According to the latest data from Johns Hopkins University, Florida has had the 27th most Covid-19 cases and deaths per capita out of the 50 states overall. Florida's case and death counts are lower than expected amid such loose mitigation measures, often drawing attention -- and scrutiny -- to the state's official Covid-19 data.