Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Florida Hits 'Frightening' Highs For Covid Cases, Hospitalizations
AP: Florida Breaks Record For COVID-19 Hospitalizations
A day after it recorded the most new daily cases since the start of the pandemic, Florida on Sunday broke a previous record for current hospitalizations set more than a year ago before vaccines were available. The Sunshine State had 10,207 people hospitalized with confirmed COVID-19 cases, according to data reported to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (Schneider, 8/1)
Miami Herald: South Florida Hospitals See Rise In Young Patients As COVID Resurgence Gains Steam
As Florida’s pandemic resurgence gains steam, with cases and hospitalizations rising sharply in July, South Florida hospitals report a startling rise in younger patients with COVID-19, with many of them needing intensive care and nearly all of whom are not vaccinated. (Cetoute and Chang, 8/1)
Bloomberg: Florida Daily Covid Cases Hit Record, Becomes U.S. Epicenter
Florida reported 21,683 new cases on Friday, breaking a daily record for the entire pandemic, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The state’s previous one-day record was more than 19,100 in early January, according to CDC data. As the highly infectious delta variant has spread around the U.S., new infections in Florida have skyrocketed over the last month, from a low near 1,000 new daily cases last month. Florida, the third most populous state, now accounts for about one in five new virus infections in the entire U.S., making it the country’s new epicenter for the outbreak. (Fisher, 7/31)
CBS News: Florida Reports Highest Number Of New COVID-19 Cases In A Single Day Since The Start Of The Pandemic
Over the last seven days, Florida saw a 50% weekly increase in new cases, reporting 110,477 cases from July 23 to July 29, according to the Florida Department of Health. In July, Florida was one of four states that accounted for 40% of the country's total infections, according to White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients. During that time, the Sunshine State recorded one out of every five of the nation's new cases, he said. "There is no higher risk area in the United States than we're seeing here," Florida International University infectious disease expert Dr. Aileen Marty told CBS Miami. "The numbers that we're seeing are unbelievable, just unbelievably frightening." (Powell, 8/1)
In related news about mask-wearing in Florida schools —
Axios: DeSantis To Bar Florida Schools From Mandating Masks For Students
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Friday issued an executive order that bars local school districts from requiring students to wear masks when they return to the classroom next month. The spread of the Delta variant has led to a spike in new infections across the United States, triggering another round of debate about COVID guidelines in schools. (Chen and Gonzalez, 7/30)
WUSF 89.7: Florida Universities Plan 'Normal' Operations Amid COVID-19 Spike
State universities are staying on track for a return to normal “pre-pandemic” operations as the fall semester approaches, while Florida grapples with a surge in COVID-19 cases. Classes begin Aug. 23 for most universities. While universities remain poised to keep mask-wearing optional and discontinue limits on the numbers of people in classrooms, they are encouraging students, faculty and staff members to get vaccinated. Most universities began publishing plans for a return to normalcy around the time the university system’s Board of Governors issued guidance in May. (Dailey, 8/1)
