Florida's Latest News

State schedules Oct. 29 hearing for new personal care attendant nursing home rule

The Agency for Health Care Administration announced Wednesday it is moving forward with a regulation that lays the groundwork for the use of personal care attendants in Florida nursing homes, and it will hold a meeting on the proposal in Tallahassee on Oct. 29.

The agency has not published a copy of the proposed regulation.

The announcement comes after AHCA Deputy Secretary for Quality Assurance Kim Smoak told members of a House health care panel that, barring any challenges, the agency thinks the rules can be finalized by the end of the year. Until then, the temporary program put into effect by former AHCA Secretary Mary Mayhew, remains in effect.

House Finance & Facilities Subcommittee member Rep. Sam Garrison asked Smoak about the “scope” of the proposed rules and whether the agency anticipated any challenges.

Palm Beach County schools to make masks optional when COVID-19 cases drop and kids can be vaccinated

Students in Palm Beach County may see another change to their mask requirements while on campus.

The Palm Beach County School Board voted 7-0 to allow masks to be optional once again when children ages 5 to 11 are eligible for vaccines and the number of COVID-19 cases in the community reach a “moderate” level.

After Palm Beach County School Board members passed a mask mandate in August, against Gov. Ron DeSantis’ orders, all students and staff were required to wear face coverings on school grounds. There are exceptions for some medical conditions.

Ron DeSantis claims victory after HHS report on vaccines

Gov. Ron DeSantis is again praising his COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan after the federal government published a report crediting vaccines with diminishing the pandemic’s effects on older Americans.

Vaccinations reduced COVID-19 infections by 265,000 cases, 107,000 hospitalizations and 39,000 deaths among Medicare beneficiaries between January and May 2021, according to a report the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released Tuesday.

In late 2020, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advised that states make people 75 and older, as well as essential workers, eligible for the vaccine. However, DeSantis broke ranks with the federal government, instead clearing those 65 and older and leaving out essential workers until their age cohorts became available.

“Efforts to prioritize and vaccinate this group directly correlate to saving lives,” HHS said in a press release, referring to those 65 and older.

Red tide confirmed at St. George Island in Franklin County

Water samples taken on St. George Island this week confirmed the presence of red tide after dozens of reports of fish kills and respiratory irritation, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. 

Taken in the waters near the St. George Island lighthouse and at Bob Sikes Cut, the samples show a moderate amount of the saltwater algae that bloom in abundance under the right conditions.

Another sample taken on Dog Island to the east found very low amounts of the algae. But eight samples taken in Apalachicola Bay found it was not present or was only in background amounts, which do not produce adverse effects.

Over the past few days, the FWC has received more than two dozen reports of dead fish on its hotline. A number of people have reported trouble breathing outdoors due to the bloom.