Vaccine

With Florida at the epicenter of a nationwide resurgence of COVID-19 infections, some local governments are defying Republican Governor Ron DeSantis with new mask and vaccine mandates. Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried plans to begin providing daily COVID-19 data to the media after the state switched to only providing weekly data in June. Lee Health and NCH hospitals report 600% and 800% increases in COVID-19 patients who are mostly unvaccinated. High levels of community spread and low vaccination rates are putting many nursing homes in Florida at risk for COVID-19 outbreaks. Some facilities are taking extra precautions.

As a surge in new COVID-19 infections is leading to increased hospitalizations, heath systems in Southwest Florida are re-imposing restrictions on hospital visitation.

The current spike in COVID-19 related hospitalizations is being driven by unvaccinated people who are sicker and younger than earlier in the pandemic, according to hospital officials.

Florida has emerged as a hotspot in the current resurgence of COVID-19 infections across the country. According to the White House nearly one in five new cases nationwide, last week, were diagnosed in Florida.The increase in infections is putting a strain on local hospital systems and raising concerns among public health experts as a new school year is about to begin and public school districts are dropping mask mandates under pressure from parents and government officials.

The United States is in the midst of a COVID-19 surge and according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, its largely being driven by the Delta variant, which is responsible for about eight of every 10 new cases. More than one in five of these new cases have been diagnosed in Florida. We explore what local hospitals are experiencing and the role public policy in Florida may be playing in the current surge.

The Collier County School Board held a special meeting Monday morning to discuss two hot-button issues: Critical Race Theory and Vaccines.

Despite a nationwide decrease in COVID-19 cases over the last week, a USA Today Network analysis of Johns Hopkins University data finds that in the week ending June 6, Florida experienced a 14.9% increase in new cases compared to the prior week. Florida has documented more than 2.3 million COVID-19 infections and more than 37,000 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic.More than 19 million total vaccine doses have been administered in Florida so far. Last week, the Florida Hospital Association reported that COVID-19 hospitalizations in the state are at their lowest level in more than a year and down nearly 20% from the peak reached in July 2020.The American Federal of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations are urging Governor Ron DeSantis to reverse coarse on a plan to prematurely end Florida’s participation in a federal program that provides an additional $300 a week in unemployment benefits to jobless Floridians.A federal judge will hear arguments, Thursday, in Florida’s lawsuit against the CDC over its rules for how the cruise industry can resume sailings. One way the CDC will allow cruise ships to resume operating is if staff and passengers are fully vaccinated, but a new Florida law set to take effect July 1, bars businesses from requiring vaccine passports. Meanwhile, the Norwegian and Royal Caribbean cruise lines have recently announced plans to resume cruises from Florida portsState health officials are no longer providing daily updates on the coronavirus pandemic through the Florida Department of Health's online COVID-19 dashboard, and instead are updating information on a weekly basis.Florida courts can lift mask-wearing and social distancing requirements for in-person proceedings starting June 21.

State health officials report that Florida has seen more than 2.3 million COVID-19 infections and more than 37,500 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic. As of last Friday morning, the state division of Emergency Management reports that more than 10 million people in Florida have been vaccinated against the virus, including more than two million people who have received a first dose and more than 8.1 million people who have either completed a two-dose series or who have received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.The Florida Department of Health data scientist who built the state’s online COVID-19 dashboard is receiving whistleblower status. Rebekah Jones was fired last year after raising questions about the accuracy of pandemic data being reported by the state.Gov. DeSantis says Florida will penalize cruise companies that require proof of vaccination of travelers on board under a new state law, but the federal government says cruise ships need to follow vaccination requirements in order to restart cruising. Under the new state law set to take effect July 1, Cruise companies would be fined $5,000 for each customer who must show proof of vaccination against COVID-19.A new study from the policy think tank, the RAND Corporation, finds students who attended school remotely during the pandemic had worse outcomes in math and language arts than students who attended a hybrid model and those who went to class in-person.

State health officials reported 2,327 new COVID-19 cases and 66 deaths, Wednesday for a total of more than 2.3 million infections and more than 37,000 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic. So far, more than 10 million people in Florida have been vaccinated, including more than eight million people who have completed a two-dose series or received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.Governor Ron DeSantis singed a bill into law this week providing $1,000 bonuses to teachers and principals of charter schools and traditional public schools. DeSantis also signed a bill into law aimed at increasing protections against pandemic-related fraud and scams.The City of Naples is set to end its distribution of COVID-19 vaccines on Friday as demand has waned. The city is also looking to end temporary use permits for restaurants that have allowed for expanded outdoor dining.Florida Conservation Voters is criticizing Governor DeSantis and the Florida legislature for failing to put any federal pandemic relief money towards helping Floridians who’ve struggled to pay their utility bills during the pandemic. Between August 2020 and March 2021 more than 610,000 residential utility lines were cut off by the big five investor-owned utility companies in Florida. Of those, 59,000 haven’t been restored.

State health officials reported 1,606 new COVID-19 cases and 24 deaths Monday bringing Florida’s total to more than 2.3 million infections and more than 37,000 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic. As of Monday morning, more than 10 million people in Florida have received a vaccine including more than two million who have received a first dose and more than 7.9 million who have completed a two-dose vaccine series or received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.The state Department of Economic Opportunity announced Monday that unemployed Floridians will no longer receive the additional $300 dollars a week in federal unemployment assistance beginning in late June. The Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program isn’t slated to sunset until early September, but state officials are cutting off jobless residents early as part of what they’re dubbing a “return to work” initiative.Florida unemployment rate inched up slightly to 4.8% in April as restaurants across the state are reporting labor shortages. The leisure and hospitality sectors are recovering more slowly than other industries in Florida.Norwegian Cruise Line plans to resume voyages from ports on the West Coast, Central America and the Caribbean starting in August. Norwegian is pulling its business from ports in Florida because Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill banning businesses from requiring proof of vaccination, even though the federal government requires that 98% of a cruise ship’s crew and 95% of passengers be vaccinated before setting sail.