Lazaro Aleman
ECB Publishing, Inc.
On a day when Florida broke a record for new coronavirus cases across the country, Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order making facemasks optional in Florida schools, leaving the decision for parents to make.
The governor issued his executive order in Cape Coral on Friday, July 30, the same day that the state reported 21,683 new coronavirus cases. The state’s previous peak was 19,334 cases on Jan. 7, 2021.
The order, which became effective immediately, instructed the Florida departments of education and health to issue emergency rules allowing parents to decide if their children should wear facemasks to schools. The governor said his action was in the interest of “protecting the rights of parents.”
Among other things, the order instructs the Florida Department of Education to pursue legal means if necessary to ensure that school districts abide by the order, even if it requires withholding state funding from non-compliant districts.
Meanwhile, Florida continued to lead the nation in the cases of coronavirus and hospitalizations.
The Florida Department of Health (FDOH) reported a 50-percent increase in the number of coronavirus cases across the state last week, with a reported 409 new deaths during the week.
Locally, the Florida Department of Health in Jefferson (FDOH-Jefferson) reported 99 new cases in the last 14 days, 66 of them in the seven days ending on Thursday, July 29. The new numbers brought the cumulative number of cases in Jefferson County to 1,623 since the start of the pandemic, according to the FDOH-Jefferson.
On Monday, Aug. 2, Pam Gilleland-Beck, public information officer for the FDOH-Jefferson, announced new testing criteria for both Jefferson and Madison counties.
The testing, Gilleland-Beck said, would be on a priority basis going forward as the resources allowed. Individuals, of course, could always be tested at their healthcare provide, she said.
The department’s established order of priority is as follows: First responders (i.e., emergency medical services, firefighters, law enforcement officers, etc.), individuals associated with the outbreak, individuals ages 65 and older, critical infrastructure workers, those who work closely with critical infrastructure workers, individuals known to live in households with a higher-risk individuals or who provide care in a household with a higher risk individual, uninsured or underinsured individuals of any age with certain underlying medical conditions who are at increased risk for a severe illness, members of households living in close quarters, and pregnant women
The department notes that the Delta variant is the fourth mutilation of the COVID-19 virus and accounts for the majority of new cases across the state and the country. It further notes that all viruses mutate over time, and that the research results to date show that the vaccines work on the all the current variants.
That said, the department reminds residents of three coming community vaccine events. The first, being hosted by the R.J. Bailar Library, was scheduled from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 4, outside the facility on Water Street.
The second, to be hosted by the FDOH-Jefferson, is at the recreation park on Mamie Scott Drive from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 14.
And a third, again by the R.J. Bailar Library, will be held 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 21, again outside the facility.
The Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson vaccines will be offered free at the three events. Vaccine recipients are also eligible to receive a $10 food coupon.
The vaccines are also available by appointment at the FDOH-Jefferson clinic, the CVS and Winn Dixie pharmacies and TMH Physician Partners.
As of Thursday, July 29, Jefferson County had 6,823 vaccinated persons, with 5,481 having completed the vaccine series and 671 having received the first dose only.