Florida News that impacts you – July 13th
Bottom Line: Your daily recap of the some of the biggest news from around the state that impacts you in South Florida.
- On Saturday Governor DeSantis said COVID-19 has plateaued over the previous two weeks. This came in advance of Sunday’s record day of new cases– greater than 15,000, creating additional concern that we’ve haven’t yet seen a leveling off. Related, Governor DeSantis said bars will remain closed for the foreseeable in Florida due to the high levels of spread attributed to them.
- Governor DeSantis has asked FEMA for 1,500 nurses to help ease Florida’s shortage, which is exacerbated by Florida’s surge in hospitalizations in recent weeks. DeSantis indicated the nurses will be allocated in Miami and Tampa where the shortages are greatest right now. Miami-Dade's Health Department has asked for 400 additional nurses, Broward’s has requested 90 and Palm Beach County’s Department of Health has asked for 76.
- Florida could be set for legal standoffs with local school districts after all... Over the weekend,Senate President Bill Galvano, at a presser with Governor DeSantis, said Florida’s schools must adhere to the executive order by Florida’s Department of Education to reopen schools for a minimum of five days per week starting in August. Local school districts have maintained that the language allowing for policy decision to be made using local health departments directions would allow for opting out of the order. Currently all South Florida school districts are weighing online only learning options to start the school year.
- The first legal challenge to a mask order in Florida has been rejected. Circuit Court judge John Cooper ruled against a challenge to Leon County’s order to wear masks inside of businesses. Cooper ruled “that this ordinance does not violate any constitutional rights”. He also found that there is “valid basis” for the ordinance.
- Amid the surge in COVID-19 cases in Florida, Disney’s Magic and Animal Kingdom’s opened as planned on Saturday. Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot are scheduled to reopen on Wednesday. Temperature checks, masks, social distancing measures and caps on daily visitors are in place.