Coronavirus

The governor said local governments have “huge amounts of money from CARES Act” that can go toward opening the sites, adding that testing is also widely available at pharmacies, labs and doctor's offices.

Federal, state and municipal governments as well as private businesses continue to largely avoid mandates out of fears they will provoke a backlash. So, how about an economic argument?

Florida leads the country in the highest rate of COVID-related hospitalizations in kids. WMFE spoke with Orlando pediatrician Dr. Candice Jones about what parents and teachers should know.

Gov. Ron DeSantis repeated his stance that people have the freedom to make their own decisions on masks and that the current surge will be short-lived.

On Florida Matters, host Bradley George talks with Kerry Sheridan, Health News Florida's education reporter, and Dr. Marissa Levine, a USF professor of public health.

Number were released by the CDC and Florida Hospital Association. As of Tuesday afternoon, 11,515 people were in state hospitals with COVID-19, far exceeding last summer's peak.

Board members expressed concern about safely returning to in-person classes as pediatric COVID-19 cases reach peak levels in Sarasota County.

Among them: People with flu-like symptoms should stay home, simultaneous online instruction will no longer be offered, and quarantine policies are eased for those vaccinated.

The president called out the Florida governor for such things as blocking school districts from requiring students to wear masks. DeSantis replied that "these interventions have failed time and time again."

Ron Meyer, a longtime Tallahassee education lawyer, says Gov. Ron DeSantis' executive order banning local school mask mandates defies the Florida Constitution.