Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz told Fox News he let his adopted son Nestor go on spring break to COVID hotspot Panama CIty

• GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz told Fox News his son Nestor had an "abbreviated" spring break at Panama City.
• Gaetz approved of his son's outing as he had "no real graduation" and couldn't go to prom.
• Panama City is currently coping with one of the US's most severe COVID outbreaks.

Florida lawmaker Matt Gaetz said that he had allowed his adopted son Nestor Galban to go on spring break on Panama City Beach to make up for not being allowed to go to prom or having a "real graduation."

Speaking to Fox News, Gaetz said: "My son is a college freshman. He had no real graduation, no prom, and I struggled with whether or not to allow him to enjoy spring break at Panama City beach."

"I allowed him to have an abbreviated one," Gaetz added.

"I did not have a good night's rest the entire time he was there until I knew he was safe, OK, and back at school."

Panama City is struggling with one of the US's most severe COVID outbreaks, according to WFSU Public Media, with the area's COVID cases being the sixth highest in the nation.

According to news outlet WTVM, Panama City has put in place strict spring break laws to abide by COVID pandemic measures and keep the peace. No alcohol is allowed on the beaches, and the bars will close at 2 a.m. instead of 4 a.m.

Panama City is also barring large gatherings of more than 125 people, and anyone caught on the beach with alcohol could face a $500 fine or a jail term.

Apart from struggling to implement COVID pandemic health regulations, other parts of the US are also grappling with how to manage huge crowds of spring breakers.

Miami Beach, for instance, had to implement an 8 p.m. curfew and limited causeway access into the city after a massive influx of travelers who were flagrantly flouting laws, damaging property, not wearing face masks, nor abiding by social distancing.

Gaetz, 38, adopted Galban in 2013 when he was 12. Galban is the younger brother of one of Gaetz' ex-girlfriends.

"I just think that it's been the greatest thing in my life that this young man has been a part of my family," he told People Magazine in June of last year. "And going forward, I look forward to being his biggest cheerleader."