Americans fully vaccinated against Covid-19 do not need to wear a mask in most situations, indoors and outdoors, federal health officials said in an updated set of recommendations Thursday that marks a major turning point in the pandemic.
Health & Society
Countering Disinformation, AdventHealth Physicians Say Covid Vaccine ‘Highly’ Recommended for Children 12 and Up
As the Flagler Health Department prepares to order a batch of Pfizer vaccines, now that it’s been approved for children as young as 12, AdventHealth physicians today spoke of the importance of vaccinating children and the rarely spoken-of and unnerving complications from covid complications in infected children.
Flagler County Hosts Candlelight Vigil in Remembrance of 111 Residents Lost to Covid-19
Flagler County is hosting a candlelight vigil at 4 p.m. Monday (May 17) to remember those residents who lost their lives to Covid-19. The ceremony will take place in front of the Government Services. It is the first such commemoration by a local government in Flagler.
‘Precipitous’ Drop Down to Just 129 Vaccinations a Day in Flagler Raises Concerns About Hesitancy and Immunity
Average daily covid vaccinations have fallen from 480 in late February to 413 in the first two weeks of April to just 129 a day for the past two weeks from all locations, public or private, in Flagler County, while the proportion of the population that’s had at least one shot is at 46 percent, well short of herd immunity.
Can Schools Require Covid Vaccines for Students Now that Pfizer’s Shot Is Authorized for Kids 12 and Up?
No state yet requires students to receive a Covid-19 vaccine, but how states manage other vaccines and exemptions, and how the rules can change during outbreaks, can help us think about how a Covid-19 vaccine requirement might work.
A Federal Appeals Court Will Decide if Trans Students Can Continue to Play School Sports
Last August, a federal court found that those supporting an Idaho ban on trans student athletes had no evidence to support their claims. With more than 30 states, including Florida, passing laws banning trans girls from sports, court battles to counter the trend are only beginning.
DeSantis Touts ‘Rights and Liberties’ in Ditching Covid Restrictions; Health Experts Say That’s Dangerous
For doctors, nurses, healthcare workers, and many Florida residents at large, DeSantis’s elimination of covid restrictions across the state as of July 1 is scary or reckless. The pandemic is not over, and health experts continue to advocate for maintaining safety measures to prevent further outbreaks.
You May Qualify for a Monthly $50 Broadband Discount Through New Program Launching Wednesday
Temporary help of up to $50 a month is available to cover some of the costs of broadband for qualifying low-income households through the Federal Communications Commission Emergency Broadband Benefit Program.
Siding With Landlords, Federal Judge Tosses Out CDC’s Eviction Moratorium
The CDC halted evictions at the height of the pandemic, saying that putting people out of their homes when state and local authorities had issued stay-at-home orders to stop the spread of covid-19 would be a public health hazard. But the court said a nationwide eviction moratorium was not under the health agency’s purview.
Chief Justice Lifts Some Courthouse Restrictions, But Masking and Physical Distancing Remain
Members of the public will be able to enter and move through courthouses across the state, including the Flagler County courthouse, while in-person court proceedings will continue to have mask requirements and social distancing.
Anti-Transgender Bills Are Latest Version of Conservatives’ Longtime Strategy to Rally Their Base
Mischaracterizing LGBTQ-supportive policies as harmful to young people are a staple strategy conservatives use to galvanize their base. A record number of anti-transgender policy reforms were introduced this year in state legislatures across the country.
Flagler Schools Will Keep Mask Rules In Effect, Making them Voluntary in Summer
Gov. Ron DeSantis’ order overriding local county and city masking regulations doesn’t apply to school districts. The Flagler district announced making rules will stay in effect for the next four weeks, becoming voluntary with summer session and the next school year.
Flagler Government Lifts Masking Rules But Flagler Beach Commissioner Warns Mullins: ‘Don’t Tell Us What To Do’
Flagler Beach Commissioner Jane Mealy twice told county commissioners this morning, specifying Joe Mullins, “don’t tell us what to do,” reasserting why the city is not holding July 4 festivities even as a county commissioner has been harping on it to reverse course.
CVS and Walgreens Have Wasted More Vaccine Doses Than Most States Combined
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recorded 182,874 wasted doses as of late March, three months into the country’s effort to vaccinate the masses against the coronavirus. Of those, CVS was responsible for nearly half, and Walgreens for 21%, or nearly 128,500 wasted shots combined.
What We Can Learn From Canada’s Clarity on Pot
The inherent contradictions of American cannabis laws is undermining consumers and businesses unfairly and at times absurdly. Federal law must change, as it has fallen behind states’ efforts on marijuana in several ways.
George Floyd-Inspired Bill Requiring Use-of-Force Training for Police, Termed a ‘Good Start,’ Clears Legislature
The measure seeks to address aspects of policing that came under scrutiny after the death of George Floyd, a Black man who was killed by ex-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin nearly a year ago. Chauvin, who was captured on video kneeling on Floyd’s neck, was found guilty by a jury last week of murdering Floyd.
Measure Banning Transgender Girls From High School and College Teams Heads for DeSantis Signature
Under the measure on its way to Gov. Ron DeSantis, female students’ eligibility for sports teams would be based on their “biological sex” on birth certificates issued “at or near the time of the student’s birth.”
QAnon Hasn’t Gone Away: It’s Alive and Swarming In Local Republican Politics Across the Country
Perhaps the greatest success of the conspiracy is its ability to create a shared alternate reality, a reality that can dismiss everything from a decisive election to a deadly pandemic. The QAnon universe lives on – now largely through involvement in local, not national, Republican politics.
Volusia Schools and AdventHealth Partner to Screen Student Athletes for Cardiac Health
Student-athletes from Volusia County Schools will for the first time be offered free electrocardiogram (ECG) screenings in addition to the annual state-required sports physical for middle and high schoolers, through a partnership with AdventHealth.
Bill Clears Way for Guns on School Campuses Co-Located With Churches and Other Religious Institutions
Schools co-located with churches, synagogues and other religious institutions may soon see firearms on school campuses – despite the gun-free school laws Florida created in 2018.
Contrary to Commissioner’s Claim, Flagler County Is Not at Herd Immunity, Health Officials Warn, Only Nearing It
Local health officials cautioned against ending covid-19 precautionary restrictions in response to a false claim by Flagler County Commissioner Joe Mullins that herd immunity has been reached, and that he would call for an end to restrictions at the next county commission meeting. Mullins often writes or speaks falsehoods or makes misleading statements about covid-19 and numerous other matters.
Vaccines Now Exceeding Demand, Health Department’s ‘Ground Game’ Targets New Veins in Flagler Beach
As vaccine supply edges past demand and the rate of those getting vaccinated is slowing, the Flagler County Health Department is shifting strategies and making walk-in vaccines available at four Flagler Beach restaurants and later, on Sundays, at the Flagler Beach branch of the tax collector’s office.
Trump-Republican Men Lead in Vaccine Refusal, Putting Goal of Herd Immunity at Risk
About 13 percent of American adults don’t want a covid-19 vaccine, but nearly 30 percent of Republicans don’t. The counties that are most vaccine-hesitant are rural, more likely to support Trump and have lower income levels and college graduation rates.
Florida Supreme Court Rejects Recreational Pot Amendment from 2022 Ballot
The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a proposed constitutional amendment aimed at allowing people to use recreational marijuana, saying it would be misleading to voters because it’s still illegal under federal law.
Flagler Health+ Makes Pfizer Vaccine Available to All Over the Age of 16 on April 23
Flagler Health+ (formerly Flagler Hospital) is bringing the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccination to Flagler County for a one-time opportunity for anyone at least 16 years old to be vaccinated on April 23. Appointments are required, as is a return visit for a second dose on May 14.
Flagler Health Department and Grace Community Pharmacy Team Up in More Personal-Level Vaccine Push
In its push to personalize the vaccination experience and scale what reluctance there may be among residents to be inoculated, the Flagler Health Department in March launched a partnership with Grace Community Pharmacy (and has since added One Pharmacy), part of the department’s attempt to get Flagler ranked first in the rate of vaccinations.
School Board’s Latest Fray Over LGBTQ ‘Hysteria’ Is Tense But Civil as Law Has the Last Word, Not Parents
Flagler school district officials explained that a student’s privacy–and sexual identity–may override a parent’s right to know about it as transgender matters again divided an audience of 70 and the school board in impassioned but mostly courteous debates at a meeting Tuesday afternoon.
There Are No Transgender “Issues” in Flagler Schools. A Small, Noisy Group Is Fabricating an Issue Anyway.
There are no transgender bathroom issues in Flagler schools, no issues with transgender athletes, no issues with a student of one birth sex supposedly using their transgender status to leer at students of the other. But to hear it from some, it’s a crisis warranting a reversal of policies and procedures. The School Board hears a presentation on the current state of the law and procedures Tuesday. A crowd is expected.
Tiny Number of People Will Be Hospitalized Despite Being Vaccinated. We Have to Learn Why.
Experts say we should investigate “breakthrough infections” to look out for variants and understand who’s vulnerable. In many cases, that’s not happening. Crucial pieces of the puzzle are being tossed in the trash.
School Districts and Families Are Divided: Should Masks Still Be in Place in the Upcoming Academic Year?
With an uncertain outlook of COVID-19 and political connotations surrounding masks, classrooms could become a checkerboard, with some students wearing masks but others showing their faces.
Are Mass Shootings an American Epidemic?
The most recent research on frequency of mass shootings indicates that, while still rare, they are becoming more common, though the exact number each year can vary widely, while the number of Americans who are victims of crimes involving a firearm approaches half a million a year.
I’ve Recovered From Covid. Why Do I Still Have to Mask Up?
As the federal government doubles down on their importance, some states have thrown caution — and face coverings — to the wind. Here are the science and motives behind the masking recommendation.
‘Don’t Be a Holdout’: Flagler Aims for 1st In State in Vaccinations, With 40.7% Inoculated So Far and Youth Shots Ahead
Flagler County’s vaccine supply is now exceeding demand as health officials step up their outreach to restaurants, local businesses, schools and children 16 and 17 to get vaccinated in hopes of vaulting the county’s vaccination rate to the top of the state’s chart. Flagler is 7th or 8th best in the state in vaccinations.
Covid-19 Daily Data for Florida and Flagler: Cases, Testing, Locations, Hospitalizations and Deaths
Florida’s and Flagler’s complete daily reports by the Health Department of Covid-19 data including county-by-county infection numbers, testing, people monitored and deaths.
Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Suspension: A Doctor Explains What This Means for You
It is a testament to the emphasis by the CDC and FDA on vaccine safety that J&J vaccinations have been paused while this is studied by independent scientists and medical experts, explains Dr. William Petri in a Q&A about the J&J vaccine’s pause.
Anti-Trans Bill Clears Florida House, Barring Transgender Girls from High School and College Sports Teams
The Republican-dominated Florida House on Wednesday passed a bill that would ban transgender females from playing on girls’ and women’s high-school and college sports teams, with Democrats arguing the measure is purely political.
Key Victory for Venerated Whispering Meadows Ranch as County Board Recommends in Its Favor in Emotional Hearing
Whispering Meadows Ranch on John Anderson Highway survived a key vote this evening as the Flagler County Planning Board recommended approval of a special zoning use of the grounds, enabling the ranch to keep operating. That’s assuming the County Commission follows suit when it considers the matter in coming weeks. Absent the special exception, the ranch will face closure.
When Births Go Horribly Wrong, Florida Protects Doctors and Forces Families to Pay the Price
A Florida program designed to reduce doctors’ malpractice bills strips families of their right to sue, offering instead a one-time payment and promises to cover medical expenses. Some parents report a bureaucratic nightmare that’s anything but supportive.
Flagler Schools’ Food Service Director to Gov. DeSantis: Why a $1,000 Bonus to Faculty But Not Service Workers?
Angela Bush, Flagler County schools’ Food and Nutrition Services Director is asking Gov. Ron DeSantis in a video letter why once again service employees like bus drivers, custodians, maintenance staff, kitchen and other support staff are excluded from a proposed $1,000 bonus to teachers and principals who “answered the call” through the covid pandemic.
Ban on Transgender Girls in Sports, Requiring Genital Proof in Disputes, Heads for Florida House Vote
The proposal would make participation in athletics contingent on determining a student’s “biological sex,” including the requirement, in disputes, of proof of a student’s birth genitalia as certified by “a health examination and consent form.”
As Jury Trials Are Set To Finally Resume for Good in Flagler, Judge Perkins Sends Reassurances to the Covid Leery
Potential jurors being are being reassured by Circuit Judge Terence Perkins, the senior and administrative judge in the county, that “every court process and procedure” has been reviewed “to ensure that your jury service is safe.”
Backed by Millions in Public and Private Cash, Rapid Covid Tests Are Coming to Stores Near You
Scientists and lawmakers agree that over-the-counter covid tests could allow desk workers to settle back into their cubicles and make it easier to reopen schools and travel, though screening accuracy varies, as does the way consumers get results.
Manslaughter Charge for Daughter Accused of Leaving Mom to Die Like a ‘Prisoner in a Concentration Camp’
Kim King Zaheer, 64, of Palm Coast, was booked at the Flagler jail on a first-degree felony manslaughter charge at the conclusion of a more-than two-year investigation in the death of her mother, Frances Hildegard King, who was found to have died of abuse, malnutrition and neglect in December 2018.
Unlike Many Republican Leaders, Gov. DeSantis Says Yes to Getting Vaccinated
According to one survey in 22 states, Republicans were being vaccinated at a little more than half the rate for Democrats. The governor is 42, and so is included among the latest cohort to become eligible.
I Want Civil Rights. They Want to Talk About Sports.
The Equality Act would extend basic civil rights protections to Queer people in housing, employment, education, and other arenas. Support tops 70 percent. Many people assume a federal law like this already exists. But in dozens of states, it’s perfectly legal to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.
Palm Coast Student Elliott Bertrand Accuses Senate Panel of ‘Prejudice’ Before 6-4 Vote on Transgender Sports Ban
The Florida Senate Health Policy Committee today approved a bill that would scrap existing policy and ban transgender women from participating in competitive high school and college sports absent testosterone testing that might clear them to play. Elliott Bertrand, a student at Flagler Palm Coast High School, was among the many opponents of the bill who addressed the panel in Tallahassee.
Bike Week, Spring Break and Doffed Masks Blamed for Latest ‘Worrisome’ Covid Spike Even as Vaccinations Spread
Local public health officials and physicians are imploring residents not to relax their covid-safety measures and warning of stubbornly persistent infections even as vaccinations have made large inroads in the local population.
Ask the Doctor: Covid and the Russian Flu, Vaccines, Allergy Shots and Colonoscopies, Future Booster Shots
In this latest installment of FlaglerLive’s “Ask the Doctor” column by Dr. Stephen Bickel, the medical director at the Flagler and Volusia Counties Health Departments, the doctor takes on an intriguing question about covid and the Russian flu of the late 1970s, whether booster vaccine shots will be needed, how allergy shots or colonoscopies affect vaccination, and so on.
Flagler Beach Again Cancels July 4 Parade and Fireworks, Wrapping Hopes for a Big Event Around Christmas
For the second year in a row, Flagler Beach will not host its traditional July 4 parade and fireworks, the city commission decided tonight, nor will the event be postponed to Labor Day. Doing so would be too “risky,” the commission agreed with Flagler Health Department Chief Bob Snyder. Commissioners are placing their hopes on a big event and parade around Christmas, including fireworks.
All Floridians 40 and Older May Be Vaccinated Starting Monday, and All Adults Starting April 5
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday announced that all Floridians ages 40 and older will be able to receive Covid-19 vaccinations starting Monday and that all adults will be eligible on April 5.