Sarasota County School District

Florida is worst in the nation when it comes to hospitalization rates of COVID-19 patients, including children. Florida also has the highest weekly total number of COVID-19 infections and deaths in the country.Data reported by Johns Hopkins University finds that Florida now accounts for 22% of new weekly total cases nationwide and 25% of weekly reported deaths from the virus.The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports, Florida is currently the only state in the nation with a quarter or more of all inpatient hospital beds being used to treat coronavirus patients.Lee Health and Sarasota Memorial Hospital both report new record-high numbers of hospitalized COVID-19 patients.The strain of the COVID-19 patient surge is has hit medical resources to the point that ambulance services and fire departments in some parts of Florida are no longer able to respond to emergency calls as usual. Ambulances in Pinellas County are waiting up to an hour with patients still inside until a hospital bed opens up for them-That's time the ambulances are unavailable to respond to other calls.On Friday, a Leon County Circuit Court judge will hold a hearing in a lawsuit filed by parents challenging Gov. DeSantis’ executive order barring schools from imposing mask mandates. Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran is demanding a change in policy from Broward County School Officials after the school board voted earlier this week to impose a mandatory mask mandate for students.The Sarasota County School District is temporarily barring visitors from school campuses and suspending any student field trips amid the current surge in COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations. 143 students and staff members were absent the first day of school, Tuesday, due to COVID-19 infections.A University of Florida study finds that people who end up in a hospital for COVID-19 are more than twice as likely to be hospitalized in the future for additional health problems related to a COVID-19 complication.

Hospitalization rates in Florida due to the coronavirus pandemic broke another record, Tuesday, for the third consecutive day, reaching 11,515 patients. Sarasota Memorial Hospital also reported another record high number of COVID-19 patients, Tuesday, and other hospital systems throughout Southwest Florida also continue to report increases.In defiance of guidance from the CDC and public health experts in Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis continues to oppose requiring mask wearing in schools as the start of a new school year is just weeks away.Fully vaccinated students and staff in the Sarasota County School District will not be required to quarantine if they're exposed to COVID-19. The school board confirmed that policy change, Tuesday, for the coming school year. However, anyone showing symptoms, regardless of vaccination status, will be required to quarantine.A new investigative report from the Orlando Sentinel finds that the death rate for people with COVID-19 at Florida correctional facilities is more than 1.5 times that of the general public. WLRN’s radio program “Sundial,” recently took a closer look at the report.

Mask-wearing in Sarasota County District schools will be optional for the 2021-2022 school year. The Sarasota Herald Tribune reports, school board members voted unanimously, Tuesday, to adopt a new policy making it clear that mask wearing would be optional for students, staff and visitors, regardless of vaccination status.

State health officials report that as of Wednesday, more than 9.7 million people in Florida have been vaccinated against COVID-19, including more than two million people who have received a first dose and more than 7.7 million people who have either completed a two-dose series or have received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. More than 20,000 young teens in Florida have received a vaccine dose since eligibility for the Pfizer vaccine expanded to include people as young as 12 nearly a week ago.Estimates from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation reports more than 51,100 people in Florida have died from the coronavirus, which is far more than the Florida Department of Health’s official report of nearly 37,000 deaths.Students in Sarasota County schools will no longer have to quarantine following an exposure to COVID-19 if they have been fully vaccinated.

State health officials reported 1,976 new COVID-19 cases and 58 deaths, Monday for a total of more than 2.2 million infections and more than 36,000 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic. As of Monday morning, more than 9.6 million people in Florida have received a vaccine, including more than two million who have received a first dose and more than 7.5 million people who have completed the two-dose series or received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.Sarasota School Board members are revisiting the district’s mask mandate amid recent new guidance from the CDC. Theme parks in Florida are loosening COVID-19 restrictions following the CDC's new guidance that fully vaccinated people don't need to wear masks in most settings.St. Armands Key Lutheran Church in Sarasota is hosting a vaccine clinic Sunday, May 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. offering the two-dose Moderna vaccine and the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine to people with registered appointments and walk-ins alike.The Kaiser Family Foundation has been surveying the public's opinion toward COVID-19 vaccines since last December. 42% of rural Americans surveyed say they will wait and see whether to get the vaccine, will only get vaccinated if required, or will definitely not get the vaccine.The foundation's Liz Hamel says that percentage has less to do with geography and more to do with political opinion, noting that about one in five Republicans surveyed say they don't plan to get the vaccine at allGovernor Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law, last Thursday, that makes permanent a popular COVID-19 emergency order allowing restaurants to sell alcoholic drinks with take-home meals.

State health officials reported 5,571 new COVID-19 cases and 83 deaths, Wednesday for a total of more than 2.1 million cases and more than 35,000 deaths statewide since the beginning of the pandemic. More than 8.2 million people in Florida have been vaccinated so far, including more than 2.9 million people who have received a first dose and more than 5.3 million who have completed the series.The University of South Florida is studying whether those with a history of allergies are more at risk for severe reactions from COVID-19 vaccines.The Florida Senate continues to consider a bill that would increase the cap on unemployment benefits from $275 a week to $375 a week, although Gov. Ron DeSantis has voiced opposition to the move.Sarasota Health officials are holding a pop-up vaccine clinic on Saturday for 16 and 17-year-olds.Sarasota is currently experiencing a surge in new COVID-19 infections and reduced vaccine demand.

State health officials reported 3,312 COVID-19 cases, Monday and 81 deaths. Gov. Ron DeSantis says Florida’s vaccine eligibility will be expanded to any one 60 and older on March 15. Florida Ag Commissioner Nikki Fried is criticizing DeSantis’ vaccine rollout, saying it should be easier for medically vulnerable people to prove they’re eligible. DeSantis is criticizing the $1.9 trillion federal stimulus package, saying it penalizes states like Florida where officials reopened the economy relatively quickly. DeSantis is calling on the federal government to revise its distribution model, arguing that money should be allocated on a per-capita basis. Elected officials and advocates in Palm Beach County say the state should prioritize vaccines for farmworkers.

The Florida Department of Health reported 11,423 COVID-19 cases, Thursday and 202 coronavirus-related deaths. In an address to a state legislative committee, Thursday, Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Jared Moskowitz said the burden is on the federal government to provide more vaccine to Florida, but says President Biden “inherited a mess.” Democratic members of Congress from South Florida held a media conference Thursday to critique Governor Ron DeSantis’ vaccine rollout efforts and messaging. The Sarasota County School District is facilitating COVID-19 vaccine doses for eligible staff 65 and older this coming Sunday. The more contagious strain of COVID-19 first discovered in the UK continues to spread throughout Florida, which is now tied with California with the most number of cases of the variant identified. Despite Black Floridians getting COVID-19 at a higher rate than white Floridians, whites people in Florida are getting vaccinated at nearly three times the rate of Blacks.

State health officials reported 13,900 new COVID-19 cases, Wednesday for a total of 1,517,472 infections. The Florida Department of Health also reported 169 coronavirus-related deaths, Jan. 13, increasing the statewide death toll to 23,759 fatalities since the beginning of the pandemic.

State health officials reported 9,592 new COVID-19 cases, Wednesday, for a total of 1,083,362 cases.The Florida Department of Health also reported 84 new coronavirus-related deaths, Dec. 9, increasing the statewide death toll to 19,716 fatalities since the start of the pandemic.