It's been almost a year since Gov. 1996 - 2023 NewsHour Productions LLC. Full Episode Tuesday . Visitors still find welcoming lodging options, wide-open spaces, endless blue water for diving and fishing, eco-tourism activities, unique attractions and a laid-back atmosphere where they can relax and recharge. We highlight the stories of Black Floridians seeking emotional healing and wellness. This puts South Florida under the medium risk level. Our state will continue to make decisions for Floridians rooted in sound science, not fear, whether they are working or in school.. COVID mask guide:Why N95, KN95 masks are so much more effective than cloth, Can you avoid COVID-19 if a household member has it? As of the initial launch Friday, only one Florida county -- Indian River -- is considered low risk. When traveling to the Florida Keys, please plan ahead and come prepared. He said things are different now. The Association of Flight Attendants, the nations largest union of cabin crews, has recently taken a neutral position on masks because its members are divided about the issue. The transit agency serving Philadelphia and its suburbs has announced masks will no longer be required on its subways, buses and trains or in its stations and concourses. Effective July 8, 2020, individuals in the state were required to wear a mask in outdoor spaces where physical-distancing . Fitness Centers,Retail Shopsand Other Keys Businesses. It can get tricky figuring out what rules apply where, but if you think about where you're going and whether the place is federally, locally, or privately run, you will have your answer. Under the revised determinations, about 63% of U.S. counties now are considered low or medium risk of COVID-19, affecting about 70% of all Americans. The regional train system serving the Washington, D.C., area said Monday masks will be optional for its customers and employees going forward. Attractions: It depends on where you go. READ:. As always, drivers or riders can decline to accept or cancel any ride they dont wish to take, Lyft said. Lodging staff are paying special attention to the disinfecting standards for visitor accommodations. He said the recent decline in cases, hospitalizations and deaths are reasons why policymakers can ease back on mask mandates. Dr. Mark Whiteside, medical director of the Florida Department of Health in Monroe County, advises that wearing a surgical-type mask or facial covering can be effective, particularly for people who are not fully vaccinated. Passengers on a United Airlines flight from Houston to New York, for instance, could ditch masks at their departing airport and on the plane, but would have to put them back on once they get off their flight in New York. Heed markings and signage that an establishment such as a retail store, grocery store or pharmacy displays for customers within the premises to help with personal protection. With todays actions, state guidance is now clear that practitioners will have the flexibility to make the decision to treat patients with off-label prescriptions if they determine that it may help the patient and it is something the patient would like to try and provides informed consent to try. The Florida Department of Health is also updating the school isolation rule to reduce isolation to 5 days. The ruling gives airports, mass transit systems, airlines and ride-hailing services the option to keep mask rules or ditch them entirely, resulting in rules that vary by city and mode of transportation. What about in mall common areas? What if I Feel Ill While Traveling in the Keys. BRANDON, Fla. (CN) Declaring a new "freedom agenda," Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed four bills into law on Thursday restricting mask and Covid-19 vaccine mandates in an effort to combat federal rules handed down by President Joe Biden. Thank you. Performance & security by Cloudflare. We know that everyone has different comfort levels, and anyone who wants to continue wearing a mask is encouraged to do so. CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky tweeted Thursday that the agency is shifting its focus to concentrate on preventing the spread of COVID-19 to minimize the strain on the health care system. The state lifted its statewide mask mandate on Feb. 10. Additionally, COVID-19 Test Sites in the Florida Keys are open to visitors and residents. Put all of that together and yeah, if youre not at risk and youre not in a big crowd of people that are going to be spreading disease, yeah lighten up. Dr. Rajiv Bahl, an ER doctor, believes wearing masks in both health care settings, and by people who may be immunocompromised, is not only here to stay but has also risen to a new level of acceptance. And even if you decide to show your face to the world, some places might tell you to cover up. She previously covered all things Florida for the Herald as a Real Time/Breaking News Reporter. The guidance recognizes that there are millions of employees in Florida working in industries from hospitality to manufacturing to banking who for no reason whatsoever have been forced to wear a mask at work. >> I THINK WERE GOING TO START SEEING THIS MOVING INTO THE FUTURE, ESPECIALLY FOR PEOPLE THAT HAVE UNDERLYING CO-MORBIDITIES, UNDERGOING CHEMOTHERAPY MEDICATIONSND A EVEN HAVE MAJOR UNDERLYING CONDITIONS, AS WELL. It depends on where you go. The recommendations were released Thursday as DeSantis criticized the CDC and President Joe Biden during a partisan speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando. The omicron variant of the coronavirus is highly contagious, but generally causes less severe COVID-19 illnesses than other variants, especially among people who are fully vaccinated and boosted, data shows. The citys indoor mask mandate ended on March 1. Despite a lack of evidence that masks, and particularly cloth face coverings, prevent the transmission of COVID-19, many corporations have continued to require their employees to wear masks at work, regardless of the situation. Some have eliminated the mandates entirely, while others have kept mask-wearing requirements in place for schools and medical facilities. The new 5-day isolation guidance for COVID-19 issued by the Florida Department of Health is based on science and was informed by access to treatments, the benefits and harms of isolation, and widespread immunity. The bottom line: About 70 percent of Americans will be able to shed their masks while indoors. Recreation: Parks, Attractions, Museums, Watersports and Beaches. Both Key West International Airport and Florida Keys Marathon International Airport are operating normally. The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to the virus. Businesses have the right to decide their own mask policies. On Monday, the unions president appealed for calm on planes and in airports. With the latest omicron surge fading quickly, they also are now factoring two more metrics to provide a more accurate sense of communityhealth risks. You should continue to wear a mask where required by laws, rules, regulations, or local guidance to help minimize the spread of COVID-19. Image courtesy Florida Department of Health, COVID-19 Visitor Recommendations for the Florida Keys. However, about 2,000 people a day still are dying of the virus, The Times reported. Dr. Ali Mokdad with the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington said now is the time to roll back restrictions. So have hospitals. "It's been almost a year since Gov. Health News Florida | According to the CDC, Florida reported a little more than 523 hospitalizations over a seven-day period through Feb. 22. This page is no longer being updated. The changes will affect facilities other than those in communities seeing high levels of COVID-19 transmission. However, spectators are still required to wear a face covering at school athletic events in Miami-Dade County public schools. Not at all. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. And if youre flying internationally, keep in mind that each country has its own vaccination, testing and quarantine rules. The Florida Keys tourism industry wants you to enjoy your visit, and to remain healthy and happy during your stay. Doctors say there's good reason for that. At Zoo Miami, everyone 2 and older need to wear masks inside all indoor facilities, regardless of vaccination status. (Orlando Sentinel) Florida Gov. Your IP: FLORIDA The Biden administration dramatically loosened federal COVID-19 mask guidance Friday as infection rates return to pre-omicron variant levels around the country. People considered to be high risk for severe illness should also speak with a doctor on whether to wear a mask. Business establishments include various lodging facilities, restaurants, grocery stores, pharmacies, indoor attractions, museums, retail or clothing shops, beauty salons, health spas and other public settings. Ron DeSantis on Monday suspended all local mask mandates in the state. That mandate ended April 18, 2022, when a Florida federal judge reversed the. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Unlike CDC guidance, Floridas new masking guidance advises against wearing facial coverings in a community setting. At Sunrises FLA Live Arena, home of the Florida Panthers, masks are recommended, not required. This guidance makes clear that all employees at a corporation should not be forced to wear a mask while at work. Please dispose of used masks, gloves and other personal items in waste containers. A new law enacted on Feb. 16 effectively barred mask mandates in schools, by giving parents the right to exempt their children from mask-wearing without stating a reason beginning March 1. Many had already begun only requiring unvaccinated individuals to wear them. Thats much of the country right now in public indoor settings, Walensky said. With no more federal mask mandate on planes and other forms of public transportation, many are wondering, "Where am I still required to wear a mask?". In most public places in Central Florida, masks are not required.Individual businesses do have a right to require masks. Several states are moving to eliminate mask mandates as the number of reported coronavirus cases dips to its lowest level since December, when the highly contagious Omicron variant touched off a wave of cases. An executive order to the same effect, issued by the governor in January, was blocked in the courts. Airports werent as fast to do away with masks, with several expressing uncertainty about the ruling and taking a wait-and-see approach. 1:14. Smile Center of Orlando serves residents of Winter Park! Community parks and other outdoor recreational facilities are open in the Florida Keys. Alaska Airlines said some passengers who were banned for violating the mask policy will remain banned. The University of Miami, for example, requires masks indoors but not outside. o You can return to work on day 6 if you are fever-free for 24 hours and your symptoms are improving. For more details, including locations, please go to Monroe Countys state health department website. Please check your inbox to confirm. The U.S. States That Are Ending Mask Mandates, https://www.nytimes.com/explain/2022/03/01/us/mask-mandates-us. Ron DeSantis in early May . At Universal Orlando Resort, masks are recommended, not required. However, individual businesses in the Keys may request that masks be worn inside their establishment, so it is suggested that people carry a facial covering available for immediate use. PublishedFebruary 25, 2022 at 8:08 AM EST, UpdatedFebruary 25, 2022 at 11:33 AM EST. Florida Keys hotels, resorts and other lodging establishments have implementedAmerican Hotel & Lodging Association COVID-19 guidelines for enhanced, best-practice health, cleanliness and safety. BUT WHEN YOU GO TO THE HOSPITAL SETTING, YOURE GOING TO BE INTERACTING WITH GERMS, YOURE WALKING INTO A PETRI DISH AND NO DOUBT IT WILL NOT ONLY KEEYOP SAFE, BUT KEEP OTHERS SAFE, AS LL.WE AMAN:DA DR. RAJIV BAHL BELIEVES THE WEARING OF MASKS IN BOTH HEALTH CARE SETTINGS A BYND PEOPLE WHO MAY BE IMMUNOCOMPROMISED IS NOT ONLY HERE TO STAY, BUT HARIS SEN TO A NEW LEVEL OF ACCEPTANCE. This guidance also reiterates that children attending daycare should never be forced to wear a mask this choice should always be made by the parent. Track the latest Covid-19 developments in the U.S. here. However, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Los Angeles city Department of Transportation continue to have website advisories stating face masks are required. At Hard Rock Stadium, home of the Miami Dolphins, and at loanDepot park, home of the Miami Marlins, masks are recommended. The push to let people remove their masks highlights the patchwork nature of health protocols, which have been applied inconsistently since the pandemic began in the United States in early 2020. May 05, 2021 at 8:25 pm. An American Airlines employee wears a face mask while working with customers at a ticket counter in the domestic terminal of the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport after Biden's administration announced that it will no longer enforce a U.S. mask mandate on public transportation, following a Florida court ruling, in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. April 19, 2022. It's hard to stay on top of it all but Health News Florida can help. Outdoor dining areas should be prioritized and requested. Under Florida law, e-mail addresses are public records. Masks will continue to prevail in health care facilities like hospitals. He said things are different now. If you believe you have any symptoms of COVID-19, seek medical counsel immediately. At South Florida airports, masks were still required inside the airport and on planes due to a federal mandate. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a1348b18ce4da2a It also advises businesses to stop requiring masks for workers, and recommends that adults and children with COVID can shorten quarantines to five days. WUSF is reporting on how distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine exposes inequities in Floridas health care system. Ron DeSantis is pledging that he will not shut down businesses in the Sunshine state or impose mask mandates, predicting that the surge of coronavirus cases is a seasonal outbreak R Associated Press. READ MORE: Mixed reactions after U.S. travel mask mandate ends. As of Friday, theAssociation of Flight Attendants-CWA expected the mask mandate for travel would be extended again. Originally founded in December 2006 as an independent grassroots publication dedicated to coverage of health issues in Florida, Health News Florida was acquired by WUSF Public Media in September 2012. Most of the major public charter schools in South Florida recommend masks but are letting parents decide if their children should wear a mask. ORLANDO, Fla. As Florida reports a drop in daily coronavirus cases, other states are starting to roll back their COVID-19 restrictions. For more information about Floridas new COVID guidance, click here. As conditions change with new variants, rising or lowering numbers, more clinical tests studiesor better vaccines, the recommended response will change with them. Mokdad has been tracking COVID since the beginning of the pandemic. Heres a list to help you track South Florida mask policies: Supermarkets: Most grocery stores have dropped the mask requirement for fully vaccinated customers or pivoted to recommending masks. Catholic schools: At schools run by the Archdiocese of Miami, masks are optional for fully vaccinated students and kids whose parents signed a consent opt-out form. The CDC has updated isolation and quarantine recommendations for the public. This article has Unlimited Access. A new law enacted on Feb. 16 effectively barred mask mandates in schools, by giving parents the right to exempt their children from mask-wearing without stating a reason beginning March 1. Florida recognizes that health care practitioners know best how to treat their patients. Here's how to decrease your risk. Current guidelines by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, intended to help communities assess their need for restrictions to reduce the transmission of the coronavirus, suggest that 90 percent of Americans can now stop wearing masks. At Everglades National Park, visitor centers remain closed, although camping is allowed. Florida has always believed in providing all possible treatment options to health care providers and led efforts to make monoclonal antibody treatments available statewide. WATCH: A judge struck down the travel mask mandate. New York joins a growing list of states to recently drop its mandate, despite no change in guidance from the CDC. The Biden administration will significantly loosen federal mask-wearing guidelines and other precautions to protect against COVID-19 transmission on Friday. Theres still a lot of people that can get this disease and spread it and we dont know whats coming next. Florida lawmakers, at the request of Gov. For more coverage, sign up for our daily coronavirus newsletter. People want to live freely in Florida, without corporate masking creating a two-tier society and without overbearing isolation for children, said. The states outdoor mask mandate expired on Feb. 18. A statewide indoor mask indoor mask mandate was lifted on the same day. The Florida guidelines also direct physicians to exercise their own judgment when treating COVID patients. Licensed vacation rental properties are also thoroughly cleaned and disinfected between rentals, in accordance with these standards. A NEW POLL FINDS MAJORITY OF AMERICANS STILL WANT TRAVELERS TO WEAR MASK. There are a few exceptions, though, addressed below. Amid a series of legal battles, a Senate Republican on Wednesday filed a proposal that would put into state law a ban on school districts requiring students to wear masks. The CDC changes come a day after Republican Florida Gov. About 37% of U.S. counties, or 56% of Floridians, still fall under this category. CHRISTINA: TODAY IN COVID-19 HEADLINES, THEED FERAL MASK MANDATE FOR AIRPLANES AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS NO LONGER IN PLACE. 176.53.62.25 Parents still maintain the right to determine if their child should wear a mask and that remains strictly optional. We may be living in a new normal due to the global coronavirus pandemic, but the many elements that draw people to the Florida Keys remain unchanged. Read more articles by Chris here and follow him on Twitter at @cabridges. The. A statewide mask requirement for various indoor settings, including schools, was lifted on March 12. You have the personal responsibility to protect yourself and others in terms of public health. The federal government said Monday passengers traveling on airplanes and other forms of public transportation won't be required to wear a face mask for now after a federal judge in Florida . This may change now that Miami-Dade . STEWART: AS WESH 2S AMANDA DUKES REPORTS, YOULL STILL NDEE TO HOLD ONTO YOUR MASK FOR MANY HEALTHCARE SETNGTIS WHERE EXPERTS SAY MASKS COULD BE REQUIRED FOR THE LONG .UL AMANDA: WITH NO MORE FEDERAL MASK MANDATE ON PLANES AND OTHER FORMS OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, MANY ARE WONDERING, WHERE IAM STILL REQUIRED TO WEAR AAS M ITS BEEN ALMOST A YEAR SINCE GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS ISSUED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER BARRING LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND SCHOOL SYSMS FROM IMPOSING MASK RULES, D INAN MOST PUBLIC PLACES IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, MASKS ARE NOT REQUIRED. COVID-19 testing locations in Monroe County can be found here. However, Florida law prevents the parks from checking your vaccination status. People who are not vaccinated are encouraged to mask up. The changes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were revealed to the Associated Press by two people familiar with the matter. Despite the governor's order, you'll still need a mask in many places. Businesses can make their own mask rules in South Florida. FILE - In this Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2021, file photo, a passenger wears a face mask she travels on a flight from . The Florida law banning school mask mandates applies only to public schools and does not affect private schools. The state lifted its indoor mask mandate, including for schools, on Feb. 17. Of the deaths added, about more than half occurred in the last two weeks. Park operations vary based on local public health conditions. When patrolling airport spaces after hours, the coronavirus-fighting robot 'R2Key2' emits high-intensity ultraviolet UV-C wavelength light that kills harmful pathogens in the air and on surfaces. 1:06. Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. Associated Press Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran issued a letter Wednesday telling school districts to amend their mask policies for the 2021-22 school year to make masks optional. Currently, the CDC website lists all Central Florida counties as having a "low" level of COVID-19. The bill, filed by Sen. Keith Perry, R-Gainesville, would put the prohibition on school mask requirements into state law. Under the new guidelines, the vast majority of Americans will no longer live in areas where indoor masking in public is recommended based on current data. EMS Director Dr. Todd Husty agrees with easing back rules. New York City airports have so far left masks in place, with the exception of Newark Liberty International Airport, which is located across the Hudson River in New Jersey where masks are now optional. However, in Florida, mask usage depends on where you go. "I think we're going to start seeing this moving into the future, especially for people that have underlying co-morbidities, undergoing chemotherapy medications and even have major underlying conditions as well," Bahl said in a statement.As for what The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends, it varies based on its calculations of a community's transmission and risk levels. The states masking rule for businesses and workplaces expired on Feb. 11. WHEN YOU GO TO THE AMWAY CENTER, YOU HOPE THAT MOST PEOPLE ARENT GOING TO BE SICK AND YOUREOT SITTING NEXT TO SICK PEOPLE. Masks will continue to prevail in health care facilities like hospitals.