WLRN staff continues to add updates on testing and vaccination sites, executive orders and messages from government officials, and the latest news on COVID-19. You can find information on free food and food distributions here.
The dedicated website for the Florida Department of Health, including information about the numbers of cases, can be found here.
The dedicated website from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can be found here.
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QUICK UPDATES
Florida Adds Nearly 15,000 New Cases, Surpasses 1.5 Million All-Time Cases
Updated Tuesday at 3:15 p.m.
Florida’s Department of Health confirmed an additional 14,896 positive cases of COVID-19 Tuesday. Florida has a total of 1,503,482 confirmed positive cases, according to the state's health department.
Tuesday's update also included the announcement of 156 new resident deaths, increasing the statewide number of Floridians who died to 23,227. Factoring in non-resident deaths the number of deaths due to COVID-19 is 23,585.
Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties make up 8,365 of those reported deaths. Monroe County has reported 36 deaths due to COVID-19.
— WLRN News
Florida Advocates Continue To Ask State To Delay Annual English Proficiency Test
Updated Tuesday at 11:35 a.m.
The Florida organization Alianza Center started a petition Monday, urging the state’s department of education to delay the annual English proficiency test — called ACCESS — because of COVID-19 concerns.
The test is mandatory for non-native English speakers in public schools, in order to assess their progress in learning the language. The test is scheduled to start Jan. 25 and in person only.
Last month, statewide advocates and educators sent a letter to State Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran, asking that the exam be voluntary in 2021.
“We’re expecting students, who are right now learning from home, to leave the safety of their homes and enter the school to go and take the exam,” said Rosa Castro Feinberg, long-time advocate for English language learners and former Miami-Dade County school board member.
On a Monday night webinar hosted by the organization, Feinberg said offering no remote options for students will make it difficult to safely socially distance in person and will put students at risk.
— Sherrilyn Cabrera / WLRN News
Updated Tuesday at 8:20 a.m.
Broward Health Will Open COVID-19 Vaccine Site At Stadium In Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale’s Inter Miami CF Stadium will open as a COVID-19 vaccination site on Tuesday, and Broward Health is encouraging seniors to register for their shots there.
The vaccines will be provided to seniors age 65 and older, as well as paramedics, and doctors and dentists without hospital privileges as well as their office staff. The vaccination site is at the stadium at Lockhart Park at 1350 NW 55th St.
People must register in advance at BrowardHealth.org, then click on “To request a COVID-19 vaccination click here” to complete and submit the vaccination request form.
— Lisa J. Huriash / Sun Sentinel
Read more from our news partner The South Florida Sun Sentinel.
