USF College of Public Health

On "Florida Matters," guest experts offer advice on getting through crises. In addition, some of you reached out with stories about how last year’s storms affected your psychological well-being.

USF public health professor Donna Petersen says collaboration was critical in helping community leaders respond to the pandemic. In hindsight, she says interventions like shutdowns were in place too long.

Sexually transmitted disease rates in the state are on the rise, surpassing pre-COVID levels. In particular, Florida ranks 14th on the CDC's national list when it comes to congenital syphilis.

Bell, who died in March, created the institution in 1984. At the time, it was the state’s first college of public health. Bell served as chair of the college’s advisory council for nearly 40 years.

Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo took to social media to suggest a link between two basketball players' cardiac arrests and the vaccine. But one expert said public health officials carry a responsibility to be careful about what they say.

The state Department of Health documented nearly 3,000 more cases per week over the two weeks ending July 20 compared with the prior five weeks.

Health care navigators help people sign up for insurance plans available on the Affordable Care Act marketplace.

Health experts are encouraging people to get the booster to help prevent another holiday surge, but many people have not answered the call.

Jason Salemi with the USF College of Public Health says most of the new cases are reported in the state's five largest counties.

In Florida, 975 people were hospitalized with COVID, down from 2,418 a month earlier, according to data released Monday. Also, 101 COVID patients were in intensive care, compared with 1,319 on Feb. 1.