The Florida Department of Health STEPS Public Health Approach: The COVID-19 Response Plan and Outcomes Through May 31, 2020

In January 2020, the Florida Department of Health began planning for a potential coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. The first 2 cases of COVID-19 in Florida were confirmed on March 1, 2020. The state’s multiagency response to the COVID-19 pandemic was based on the Florida STEPS plan: (1) social distancing, (2) testing and contact tracing, (3) elderly and medically vulnerable population protection, (4) preparing hospitals for a patient surge and health care worker protection, and (5) stopping the introduction of COVID-19 into the state. This brief report describes COVID-19 response strategies and outcomes in Florida through May 31, 2020.