Florida News that impacts you – July 10th
Bottom Line: Your daily recap of the some of the biggest news from around the state that impacts you in South Florida.
- Governor DeSantis announced that starting next week drive-thru test sites in Broward, Miami-Dade and Orange Counties will have dedicated lanes for those showing potential symptoms of COVID-19.The dedicated lanes are aimed at easing the wait time for testing which has often been hours, amid the recent surge in cases, in addition to producing expedited test results for these individuals.
- Hospitalization rates are the highest since the pandemic began as utilization has increased 13% in Florida thus far in July. 45 of Florida’s 207 ICU’s are at capacity with an additional 95 at greater than 90% full.
- As South Florida School Districts weigh whether to allow for classroom education for the upcoming school year, US Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia agreed with Governor DeSantis and Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran’s characterization of schools as “essential service”. Secretary Scalia cited low-income families as the most negatively impacted by not having classroom education available.
- The Florida Department of Health has authorized $63 million in additional assistance for Broward, Miami Dade and Palm Beach Counties as the TriCounty continues to lead the state in coronavirus cases. The money is to aid with supplies, increased staffing and related expenses.
- The Republican Party is now considering an open-air venue for the Republican National Convention in Jacksonville. Governor DeSantis said “Safety is not negotiable” and suggested that an open-air venue might be the safest route for the convention. He did state that he’s not personally involved in the planning process.
- Eight Florida governments have produced plans to become the home of the Space Force including Miami-Dade. Governor DeSantis has endorsed all eight plans as they’ve been sent to the federal government for consideration.