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News about coronavirus in Florida and around the world is constantly emerging. It's hard to stay on top of it all but Health News Florida can help. Our responsibility is to keep you informed, and to help discern what’s important for your family as you make what could be life-saving decisions.

CDC School Guidance May Have Little Effect In Florida

House Speaker Richard Corcoran says he draws the line at borrowing money for a massive reservoir South of Lake Okeechobee. Senate President Joe Negron says bonding must be part of the plan.
Florida House of Representatives
/
The Florida Channel
Regarding the CDC guidelines, Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran says: “Unlike much of the nation, Florida’s schools have been operating safely for in-person instruction since last August."

Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran says that “CDC guidance is informative," but school districts should "stay the course" they began this past summer.

New guidelines from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about reopening schools during the coronavirus pandemic might not change anything in Florida, as state Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran is urging districts to “stay the course.”

As debate rages over how to reopen schools in various cities and states across the country, the CDC issued guidance Friday that includes mitigation strategies, indicators of COVID-19 transmission and testing for coronavirus in schools.

“This operational strategy presents a pathway to reopen schools and help them remain open through consistent use of mitigation strategies, especially universal and correct use of masks and physical distancing,” a summary of the guidelines published on the CDC website said.

Before the guidelines were published Friday, Corcoran released a prepared statement largely focused on reiterating that Florida ordered schools to offer in-person instruction in July.

“Unlike much of the nation, Florida’s schools have been operating safely for in-person instruction since last August, many also operated summer education programs, and 98.5% of early learning programs are serving families in-person,” Corcoran said.

He added, “CDC guidance is informative, although Florida school districts, public charter schools and private schools should stay the course they began in Summer 2020.”

Corcoran extended the July executive order in November to cover the spring semester. In the extension, he added a provision requiring districts to provide “enhanced outreach to parents and guardians to ensure maximum in-person enrollment and participation in school.”