Sarasota

Theater companies and musical ensembles are restarting live performances after a crippling pandemic pause. In some states, artists find creative ways to get around laws that go against public health recommendations.

A Leon County circuit judge refused to block a state law that bans vaccine passports, explaining that in this particular case the issue is whether the law restricts Bead Abode's free speech or regulates conduct.

Bead Abode argues that the law violates the First Amendment and is seeking an injunction to block it.

Safety measures like proof of vaccination will make customers feel more protected, the store's co-owner and legal counsel said.

School officials worry that cases are beginning to spread inside schools, and that quarantine numbers will soon "explode."

The hospital will allow visits only between noon and 6 p.m. In addition, the number of patient visitors allowed will also be limited.

The nurses, representing National Nurses United, were demonstrating at Doctors Hospital of Sarasota, Fawcett Memorial Hospital, Oak Hill Hospital and Osceola Regional Medical Center.

Doctor's Hospital in Sarasota has a new line of defense against the coronavirus. Meet Buffy, a 2-year-old Labrador retriever trained to sniff out the scent emitted by a human with the disease.

Only about 1 percent of people vaccinated in Sarasota County are Black. Advocates say the distribution process puts underserved communities at a disadvantage. They're fighting to change that.

The city will instead "encourage" residents to wear masks.