Judge blocks DeSantis ban on mask mandates
Aug 27, 2021
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis overstepped his authority when he sought to block school districts from implementing student mask mandates, according to a Friday court ruling. Judge […]
Health
Judge blocks DeSantis ban on mask mandates
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis overstepped his authority when he sought to block school districts from implementing student mask mandates, according to a Friday court ruling. Judge […]
Judge poised to issue ruling in school mask case
Aug 26, 2021
Lawyers challenging and defending Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ ban on school mask mandates rested their cases on Thursday, ahead of an expected ruling Friday morning. Judge […]
COVID patient numbers dip at area hospitals
Aug 26, 2021
After a month of steady increases in COVID-positive patients flooding Gainesville hospitals, numbers released Thursday show a gradual decline appears to be underway. North Florida Regional […]
UF study finds breast milk provides COVID antibodies
Aug 25, 2021
The breast milk of lactating mothers vaccinated against COVID-19 contains a significant supply of antibodies that may help protect nursing infants from the illness, according to […]
BOCC extends, modifies emergency order
Aug 24, 2021
The Alachua County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) unanimously extended its mask mandate for seven days with some modifications at its Tuesday meeting. The board modified […]
FDA’s Pfizer approval kindles local optimism
Aug 23, 2021
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted full approval to Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine on Monday, boosting local hospital officials’ hopes for an uptick in vaccination rates. […]
High Springs to get monoclonal antibody site
Aug 23, 2021
Alachua County will have a devoted monoclonal antibody treatment site beginning Tuesday, according to a Monday announcement from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. The new location in […]
COVID plasma study ineffective in certain groups
Aug 23, 2021
Convalescent plasma does not effectively prevent the progression of COVID-19 from a mild to severe form of the disease in high-risk patients, according to the results […]
ACPS sticks to mask policy as state deadline passes
Aug 22, 2021
A 48-hour compliance deadline from the state passed Sunday with Alachua County Public Schools (ACPS) maintaining its mandatory mask requirement for students. “Due to the highly […]
Simon rebuffs state order to alter mask policy
Aug 20, 2021
Update (4:05 p.m., Aug. 20): ACPS Superintendent Carlee Simon released a statement Friday afternoon saying the district has “no plans to change our current masking requirement.” […]
Biden mandates nursing home vaccines as booster debate continues
Aug 19, 2021
President Joe Biden announced Wednesday that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will require nursing home staff to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Facilities that do […]
Unanimous BOCC mandates face masks for 7 days
Aug 18, 2021
Update (8:34 p.m. Thursday): The countywide face mask mandate went into effect at 5 p.m. Thursday. The full order with details and guidelines is available online. […]
SBAC extends face mask mandate for 8 more weeks
Aug 17, 2021
The School Board of Alachua County (SBAC) voted unanimously Tuesday night to extend its student mask mandate for eight weeks, a decision that could come with […]
DeSantis announces third monoclonal treatment site
Aug 17, 2021
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced a third monoclonal antibody treatment site on Tuesday, the second such announcement in as many days. “Since we began expanding access […]
BOCC calls emergency meeting to address COVID surge
Aug 17, 2021
The Alachua County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) will hold an emergency meeting at 5 p.m. Wednesday to discuss a possible countywide face mask mandate and […]
Lake City hospital maxes out oxygen supply
Aug 16, 2021
Lake City Medical Center went critical on Saturday when 911 advised patients needing oxygen to go elsewhere, UF Health Shands CEO Ed Jimenez reported Monday. Friday’s […]
UF Health working to conserve oxygen amid shortages
Aug 16, 2021
As COVID-19 ravaged India and Indonesia this spring and summer, supplemental oxygen supplies became critically scarce. For some families, that meant exhausting their life savings on […]
Week two of school starts with 613 in quarantine
Aug 15, 2021
More than 600 Alachua County Public Schools (ACPS) students and staff are in quarantine after just four days of school. According to ACPS spokesperson Jackie Johnson, […]
BOCC willing to pay SBAC if state cuts salaries
Aug 13, 2021
Update: On Friday acting U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona distributed a letter to all school districts in Florida. He expressed support for universal masking policies and informed […]
Shands CEO: Record COVID hospitalizations continue
Aug 12, 2021
Gainesville’s hospitals are seeing record numbers of COVID-positive cases that may not peak until the end of August, local officials reported Thursday. North Florida Regional Medical […]
New AI tool will predict high risk for opioid use
Aug 12, 2021
University of Florida researchers are developing a new artificial intelligence tool that will help clinicians identify patients at high risk for opioid use disorder and overdose. […]
McNealy, Simon respond to FDOE as court date nears
Aug 11, 2021
Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran threatened on Monday to withhold funding equal to the salaries of the entire Alachua County School Board and Alachua County Public […]
State launches investigation into ACPS mask policy
Aug 10, 2021
In interviews on MSNBC and CNN this week, Alachua County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Carlee Simon said she would continue to do what she believes is […]
BOCC expresses frustration over DeSantis actions
Aug 10, 2021
Experts from the University of Florida Emerging Pathogens Institute say time is running out. Alachua County Commissioners say they have no power due to Florida Gov. […]