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.
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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 More Than 1,600 New Cases, 35 New Resident Deaths
Updated Monday at 6:30 p.m.
Florida’s Department of Health confirmed an additional 1,613 positive cases of COVID-19 Monday. The state has a total of 2,125,846 confirmed positive cases, according to the state's health department.
Monday's update also included the announcement of 35 new resident deaths, increasing the statewide number of Floridians who died to 34,056. Factoring in non-resident deaths the number of deaths due to COVID-19 is 34,720.
Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties make up 11,401 of those reported deaths. Monroe County has reported 50 deaths due to COVID-19.
— WLRN News
No Appointments Necessary And Expanded COVID Vaccine Hours Begin Monday At Hard Rock Stadium
Updated Monday at 6 a.m
Monday starts an attempt at vaccination acceleration at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, according to the changes in hours and requirements at the drive-thru site announced Sunday by FEMA Master Public Information Officer Mike Jachles.
Here are the changes.
Hours: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., 7 days a week.
Vaccine used: Pfizer. And, yes, if you need to get a second dose, you can get it here.
Read more from our news partner at the Miami Herald.
— By David J. Neal / Miami Herald
There’s A Tentative Schedule Out For Miami-Dade Public Schools’ In-Person Graduations
Updated Monday at 5:45 a.m
Two days after announcing that every Miami-Dade County public high school would have an in-person graduation this spring, MDCPS superintendent Alberto Carvalho released tentative schedules for the ceremonies Sunday morning.
Each school’s seniors will have a chance to march across stages from June 1 through June 9. Most of the graduations will take place at the auditorium at Miami Senior High, 2450 SW First St.; Miami-Dade County Fair Exposition Center, 10901 SW 24t St; and Ocean Bank Convocation Center (the basketball arena on FIU’s main campus), 1180 SW 113th Ave.
“Health & safety protocols will be presented to the Medical & Health Task Force for input,” Carvalho said in a Tweet. “Final schedule and protocols will be provided to all high schools for dissemination to students and families shortly thereafter.”
Read more from our news partner at the Miami Herald.
— By David J. Neal / Miami Herald
Many Long-Term Care Staffers Refused The Vaccine. Now They Have More Infections Than Residents.
Updated Monday at 5:37 a.m
At Florida’s long-term care facilities, more workers are now infected with COVID-19 than elderly residents, a dramatic shift from earlier in the pandemic.
Despite state and federal attempts to offer vaccinations at all nursing homes and assisted-living centers in the state, 62% of staffers have declined — posing the single biggest threat to the more than 25,000 elderly people in those facilities who are also unvaccinated.
“These are the folks from the beginning that were bringing it in,” said Mary Daniel of Jacksonville, a caregiver and advocate for families of residents. “It’s frustrating. Staff members are choosing not to get the vaccine and it’s the residents who are getting punished because their families are getting locked out again.”
Read more from our news partner at the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
— By Cindy Krischer Goodman, Kate Santich and Adelaide Chen / The South Florida Sun Sentinel
