Public health initiatives have long been divisive, but the pandemic turned up the volume to painful levels in Florida, Texas and other states amid a surge of growing mistrust of scientific institutions.

A pair of UF Health therapists saw a need among their patients with long COVID to meet and talk with others with similar experiences.

The latest data from the state Department of Health showed yet another decrease in cases during over the past month, with 6,380 positives during the week that started Oct. 6.

Jason Salemi, a USF associate professor of epidemiology, says a court settlement in which the state will release data allows people to make “informed decisions,' though he questioned the need and cost.

The settlement requires the department to provide COVID data to the public for the next three years, including weekly statistics on cases, deaths and vaccinations by county, age group, gender and race,

People can still get proof of vaccination from a doctor or state health department. Health officials recommend keeping your card in a safe place if you still have one.

The latest report also revealed that 91,178 residents had died with COVID-19 as of Thursday. That was up from a reported 90,740 deaths two weeks earlier.

Hungarian-born biochemist Katalin Karikó and American immunologist Drew Weissman found that a chemical change to genetic code called mRNA eliminated a problematic side effect when used in vaccines.

Adult doses got shipped first, CDC director Mandy Cohen said. Doses for the under-12 set have begun shipping, and “the supply is filling out.”

Faced with a slow rollout of the updated vaccines and without state mandates for workers to get vaccinated, most skilled facilities are relying on persuasion to boost vaccination rates among staff and residents.