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 More Than 6,700 New Cases, Miami-Dade Surpasses 6,000 Deaths
Updated Thursday at 5:15 p.m.
Florida’s Department of Health confirmed an additional 6,762 positive cases of COVID-19 Thursday. The state has a total of 2,148,448 confirmed positive cases, according to the state's health department.
Thursday's update also included the announcement of 74 new resident deaths, increasing the statewide number of Floridians who died to 34,238. Factoring in non-resident deaths the number of deaths due to COVID-19 is 34,907.
Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties make up 11,463 of those reported deaths. Monroe County has reported 50 deaths due to COVID-19.
— WLRN News
Masks Should Be Voluntary In Schools In The Fall, Says Florida Education Commissioner
Updated Thursday at 6:00 a.m.
Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran on Wednesday asked school superintendents to revise their school district’s mask policy, if they have one, to be voluntary instead of mandatory for the 2021-22 school year.
In a memo, Corcoran bolded and underlined reasons that he says are why districts should make masks voluntary: That data shows that districts’ face covering policies do not impact the spread of the coronavirus; that families and individuals should maintain their ability to make a decision unique to their circumstances; and that broad sweeping mandatory face covering policies “serve no remaining good at this point in our schools.”
Corcoran did not include any data to back up his claims in the letter.
— By Colleen Wright and Ana Ceballos / The Miami Herald
Read more from our news partner at The Miami Herald.
Was Your J&J COVID Vaccine Canceled? Broward Health Hotline Is Open For Appointments
Updated Thursday at 5:44 a.m.
With the recent pause of Johnson & Johnson vaccines, some Florida residents have been forced to cancel appointments or seek the Moderna or Pfizer options. Broward Health says its hotline offers a solution to their inoculation concerns.
Broward Health is encouraging residents to call 954-756-6500 to begin registering for a COVID-19 vaccination appointment. The health system says appointments could be available on the same day or throughout the week.
Broward Health says its vaccination sites have virtually no wait times as patients are typically finished in about 45 minutes. Up to 2,000 people are administered the Pfizer vaccine daily.
— By Devoun Cetoute / The Miami Herald
Read more from our news partner at The Miami Herald
