>>THIS WEEK ON NEWSNIGHT, AS SCHOOL LEADERS CRAFT COVID-19 RULES, GOVERNOR DESANTIS THREATENS THE PAY OF BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENTS THAT DEFY STATE ORDERS ON MASKS.

AND AS THE REGION'S ECONOMY PICKS UP, CAN IT WEATHER THE LATEST SURGE IN CORONAVIRUS CASES?

NEWSNIGHT STARTS NOW.

♪ MUSIC ♪ >>HELLO, I'M NANCY ALVAREZ.

AND WELCOME TO NEWSNIGHT, WHERE WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE BIG STORIES IMPACTING CENTRAL FLORIDA AND HOW THEY AFFECT ALL OF US.

WE DO THIS EVERY WEEK BY BRINGING TOGETHER A TEAM OF JOURNALISTS FROM DIFFERENT LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR IN-DEPTH DISCUSSIONS ON THESE IMPORTANT ISSUES.

JOINING US THIS WEEK VIA SKYPE, RYAN LYNCH FROM THE ORLANDO BUSINESS JOURNAL, AND JULIO OCHOA FROM WUSF.

HE'S ALSO THE EDITOR OF HEALTH NEWS FLORIDA.

MY COLLEAGUE, STEVE MORT, IN THE STUDIO WITH ME ONCE AGAIN THIS WEEK.

ALL RIGHT, WELL GUESS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT?

FIRST TONIGHT, CHILDREN IN MOST PARTS OF CENTRAL FLORIDA RETURNED TO CLASS THIS WEEK AS PANDEMIC POLITICS CONTINUE TO ROIL THE START OF THE SEMESTER.

WITH ORANGE COUNTY STILL UNDER A COVID-19 EMERGENCY ORDER, SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT BARBARA JENKINS SAYS CHILDREN AND STAFF IN HER DISTRICT WILL BE REQUIRED TO WEAR MASKS INDOORS, REGARDLESS OF VACCINATION STATUS.

>>WE ARE COMMITTED TO DOING EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO KEEP OUR CHILDREN AND OUR EMPLOYEES SAFE.

THIS BOARD HAS SAID THAT UNEQUIVOCALLY ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.

SO NO MATTER WHAT ELSE YOU MIGHT HEAR THAT IS OUR COMMITMENT.

>>BUT IN A MOVE MIRRORED IN MANY OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS, PARENTS ARE ABLE TO EASILY OPT THEIR CHILDREN OUT OF THE RULE.

ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL ON TUESDAY, ABOUT 4% OF STUDENTS HANDED IN NOTES FROM PARENTS REQUESTING AN OPT-OUT.

THE ACCOMMODATION ENSURES THE DISTRICT AND OTHERS DO NOT RUN AFOUL OF GOVERNOR DESANTIS'S BAN UNMASK MANDATES.

>>AN EMERGENCY RULE FROM THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SAYS STUDENTS MAY WEAR MASKS OR FACIAL COVERINGS AS A MITIGATION MEASURE.

HOWEVER, THE SCHOOL MUST ALLOW FOR A PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN OF THE STUDENT TO OPT OUT THE STUDENT FROM WEARING A FACE COVERING OR MASK.

ONLY TWO DISTRICTS, BROWARD COUNTY AND ALACHUA COUNTY, THAT INCLUDES GAINESVILLE, ARE DEFYING THE ORDER.

LEON COUNTY, THAT INCLUDES TALLAHASSEE, DECIDED TUESDAY TO GIVE PARENTS THE ABILITY TO OPT OUT WITHOUT A DOCTOR'S NOTE.

>>STACY MARTIN.

>>THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE THIS WEEK SAID IT WOULD WITHHOLD THE SALARY OF SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENTS WHO BACKED DECISIONS TO IMPOSE MASK MANDATES.

HE RECENTLY ATTACKED PRESIDENT BIDEN FOR OPPOSING HIS POSITIONS ON MASKS.

>>HIS SOLUTION IS HE WANTS TO HAVE THE GOVERNMENT FORCE KINDERGARTNERS TO WEAR MASKS IN SCHOOL.

HE DOESN'T BELIEVE THE PARENTS SHOULD HAVE A SAY IN THAT HE THINKS THAT SHOULD BE A DECISION FOR THE GOVERNMENT.

WELL, I CAN TELL YOU IN FLORIDA, THE PARENTS ARE GOING TO BE THE ONES IN CHARGE OF THAT DECISION.

>>BUT THIS WEEK THE WHITE HOUSE HINTED IT MAY STEP IN TO PAY SCHOOL OFFICIALS IF THE DESANTIS ADMINISTRATION CUTS THEM OFF.

>>WE ARE CONTINUING TO LOOK FOR WAYS FOR THE US GOVERNMENT TO SUPPORT DISTRICTS AND SCHOOLS AS THEY TRY TO FOLLOW THE SCIENCE, DO THE RIGHT THING, AND SAVE LIVES.

>>I WOULD NOTE WHAT IS PUBLICLY AVAILABLE AND KNOWABLE IS THAT THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDS THAT WERE DISTRIBUTED TO FLORIDA TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO SCHOOLS, HAVE NOT YET BEEN DISTRIBUTED FROM THE STATE LEVEL.

SO THE QUESTION IS WHY NOT?

AND THOSE CAN BE USED TO COVER EXPENSES THAT COME UP IN THIS PERIOD OF TIME.

THEY'RE FEDERAL FUNDS.

>>FLORIDA CURRENTLY LEADS THE NATION IN PEDIATRIC HOSPITALIZATIONS WITH COVID-19.

SO FAR, A LITTLE OVER 40% OF FLORIDIANS AGED 12 TO 19 ARE VACCINATED.

>>MEANWHILE, ORANGE COUNTY OPENED TWO NEW SITES TO DEAL WITH INCREASED DEMAND THIS WEEK.

A NEW SITE OFFERING TESTING ONLY IS NOW OPEN AT THE FORMER CLARCONA ELEMENTARY SITE IN APOPKA.

IT'S THE THIRD COUNTY SITE TO OFFER RAPID AND PCR TESTS, JOINING THE TWO EXISTING SITES AT THE ECON SOCCER COMPLEX AND BARNETT PARK.

VACCINATIONS HAVE NOW BEEN MOVED TO A NEW SITE AT CAMPING WORLD STADIUM.

>>ALL RIGHT, WELL, LET'S START WITH SCHOOLS THEN.

I SPOKE THIS WEEK WITH ORLANDO SENTINEL HEALTH REPORTER, CAROLINE CATHERMAN.

>>WHEREAS IN PAST WAVES CHILDREN MAYBE WEREN'T ABLE TO TRANSMIT IT AS WELL, IT'S DIFFERENT WITH THIS DELTA VARIANT.

SO EVERYONE THAT I'VE TALKED TO, PEDIATRICIANS, DOCTORS, SURGEONS, HAVE ALL BEEN REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT SPREAD IN SCHOOLS WITH THIS WAVE.

>>YEAH, FLORIDA'S LEADING THE NATION, RIGHT, IN PEDIATRIC CASES.

BUT THE GOVERNOR SAYS THE PERCENTAGE OF COVID PATIENTS IN HOSPITAL THAT ARE CHILDREN HAS NOT CHANGED.

HE MENTIONED THAT A COUPLE OF TIMES THIS WEEK.

>>WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM PEDIATRIC SPECIALISTS ABOUT THAT?

AND ABOUT THE SEVERITY OF CASES THAT THEY'RE SEEING?

IS IT DIFFERENT THIS TIME COMPARED TO PREVIOUS WAVES?

>>THEY'RE SEEING A LOT MORE ADULTS AND CHILDREN GET SICK WITH COVID-19.

AND, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH EVIDENCE YET TO DRAW THE CONCLUSION THAT THIS DELTA VARIANT IS MORE SEVERE IN CHILDREN, BUT JUST DUE TO THE SHEER NUMBER OF CHILDREN, AND THE FACT THAT SOME OF THEM ARE GOING TO GET SEVERELY ILL... >>THEY ARE SEEING MORE SEVERE CASES.

I KNOW THAT NEMOURS, THE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL HERE, SAW THEIR FIRST PEDIATRIC DEATH FROM COVID OF THE ENTIRE PANDEMIC JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO.

SO CLEARLY THIS IS POSING A DANGER TO CHILDREN, LIKE PREVIOUS VARIANTS HAVE NOT.

>>ALL THREE HOSPITAL SYSTEMS IN BREVARD SAID THIS WEEK THEY WERE OVER CAPACITY.

WHAT ARE YOU HEARING ABOUT THE CURRENT SITUATION AT OUR REGION'S HOSPITAL SYSTEMS IN GENERAL?

>>THEY'RE ALL STRUGGLING WITH CAPACITY.

I KNOW THE TWO BIGGEST ONES, ORLANDO HEALTH, ADVENTHEALTH, ARE LIMITING VISITORS.

ADVENTHEALTH IS RESTRICTING ELECTIVE SURGERIES IN ORDER TO TRY TO FREE UP BEDS.

>>I DON'T THINK IT'S CORRECT TO SAY THAT HOSPITALS ARE OPEN FOR BUSINESS, THAT THINGS ARE STATUS QUO.

THERE'S HUGE STAFF SHORTAGES.

THEY'RE REALLY STRUGGLING.

>>AND ARE THE CASES WE'RE SEEING IN HOSPITALS STILL PRIMARILY UNVACCINATED PEOPLE?

>>OVER 90% OF PEOPLE AT HOSPITALS ARE UNVACCINATED PRETTY MUCH ACROSS THE BOARD.

FROM WHAT I'M HEARING FROM OUR HOSPITALS, THOSE THAT ARE VACCINATED AND STILL END UP IN THE HOSPITAL ARE PEOPLE WHO WERE ALWAYS PREDICTED TO NOT RESPOND AS WELL TO THE VACCINE.

SO PEOPLE WHO WERE IMMUNOCOMPROMISED, PEOPLE WHO WERE VERY OLD AND THEIR BODIES DON'T HAVE AS GOOD REACTIONS.

>>AND OF COURSE THERE'S ALWAYS EXCEPTIONS, BUT VACCINATIONS... VACCINATIONS AREN'T A GUARANTEE.

THEY JUST INCREDIBLY LOWER YOUR RISK OF SEVERE ILLNESS.

>>ALL RIGHT, JULIO, LET'S START WITH WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.

ARE WE SEEING ANY SIGNS OF A LEVELING OFF IN CASES OR A PEAK HERE IN FLORIDA?

>>WELL, IF YOU LOOK AT THE TREND LINE OF CASES ON THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL WEBSITE, IT'S HEADED PRETTY MUCH STRAIGHT UP.

AND MANY ARE WONDERING HOW HIGH THE NUMBER OF DAILY CASES IN THE STATE COULD GO.

WE SET ANOTHER RECORD FOR DAILY CASES YESTERDAY WITH OVER 24,000.

>>ONE OF OUR REPORTERS SPOKE WITH SOMEONE AT THE IHME THE OTHER DAY, THAT'S THE INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH METRICS EVALUATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON.

AND IF YOU REMEMBER, THAT WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN PREDICTING CORONAVIRUS CASES EARLY ON IN THE PANDEMIC.

A RESEARCHER SAID THERE THAT WE ARE LIKELY PEAKING NOW, AND THAT OUR DEATHS, THOUGH, WILL CONTINUE CLIMBING UNTIL THE END OF AUGUST.

BUT SCHOOL HAS JUST OPENED, AND THE VIRUS IS SPREADING UNCONTROLLED.

SO THERE'S A FEAR THAT WE COULD GET ANOTHER VARIANT HERE.

>>AND JULIO, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS SENT HUNDREDS OF VENTILATORS HERE TO FLORIDA TO REPLACE USED UP SUPPLIES.

SO WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THAT?

AND WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT HOW STRESSED OUR RESOURCES ARE FROM WHAT YOU'RE HEARING?

>>YEAH, SO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SENT 200 VENTILATORS AND 100 SMALLER BREATHING DEVICES TO FLORIDA AT THE REQUEST OF THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.

HERE IN THE TAMPA BAY AREA, WE'VE HEARD THAT SOME HEALTH SYSTEMS ARE RUNNING OUT OF THE VENTILATORS.

AND THE REGION HAS RUN OUT OF THE MACHINE THAT HELPS PATIENTS WITH THE MOST SEVERE CASES.

IT'S CALLED THIS ECMO MACHINE, AND IT'S A CARDIOPULMONARY BYPASS FOR SEVERELY DAMAGED LUNGS.

AND WE HEAR THERE'S NONE OF THOSE LEFT WITHIN THE ENTIRE REGION.

WE ALSO REPORTED THIS WEEK THAT AMBULANCES ARE HAVING TO WAIT OVER AN HOUR TO OFFLOAD PATIENTS AT HOSPITALS, BECAUSE THERE'S NOT ENOUGH ROOMS OR STAFF TO TEND TO THE PATIENTS IN THE AMBULANCES.

SO THAT MEANS THESE AMBULANCES ARE PULLING UP TO THE HOSPITALS, THEY HAVE TO WAIT AN HOUR IN QUEUE TO OFFLOAD THESE PATIENTS.

THAT'S TAKING THEM OFF THE ROADS TO RESPOND TO OTHER CALLS, BECAUSE THEY'RE STUCK WAITING TO OFFLOAD THESE PATIENTS.

>>WOW.

ALL RIGHT.

AND YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE TO CONTINUE TO KEEP THE FOCUS ON SCHOOLS AS WELL HERE, BECAUSE SCHOOL'S BACK IN MANY PLACES IN OUR STATE.

AND OF COURSE WE'RE ALL WATCHING TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT WITH THAT.

>>WHAT WILL EDUCATION AND HEALTH OFFICIALS BE LOOKING OUT FOR?

IT IS SO COMPLICATED.

>>RIGHT.

THERE'S A LOT OF ATTENTION BEING PAID TO PEDIATRIC HOSPITALIZATIONS FROM COVID-19.

AS YOU HEARD THE REPORTER SAY EARLIER, BY MOST ACCOUNTS, THE CASES ARE GOING UP.

FOR EXAMPLE, HERE IN THE TAMPA BAY AREA, THERE'S A HOSPITAL CALLED ALL CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL IN ST. PETERSBURG.

THEY SAW 12 PEDIATRIC CASES IN JUNE.

IN JULY, IT WAS 181 PEDIATRIC CASES.

AND SO FAR IN AUGUST, THEY'VE SEEN 90.

SO THE PEDIATRIC CASES ARE SPIKING.

SCHOOLS WILL BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR CHILDREN COMING TO SCHOOL SICK, AND THEY'LL BE SENDING THEM HOME, OR NOT ALLOWING THEM IN THE CLASS.

>>THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH EMERGENCY RULE, IN ADDITION TO THE LANGUAGE ON MASKS, CONTAINS A LONG STRING OF QUARANTINE PROTOCOLS.

SO DO WE KNOW HOW SCHOOLS WILL HANDLE POTENTIAL OUTBREAKS THIS TIME AROUND?

AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT A LOT OF THESE PROTOCOLS REALLY COULD CHANGE AT ANY MOMENT AS WE GO.

>>YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.

AND FROM WHAT WE'VE SEEN HERE, IT TENDS TO VARY FROM DISTRICT TO DISTRICT ON HOW THEY'RE HANDLING THIS.

AND IN SOME CASES, FROM ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS TO MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS.

>>VACCINES ARE AVAILABLE FOR THOSE 12 AND UP, SO QUARANTINE POLICIES ARE EVOLVING.

PEOPLE WHO ARE VACCINATED AND EXPOSED TO A POSITIVE CASE MAY NOT BE REQUIRED TO ISOLATE OR QUARANTINE UNLESS THEY BECOME SYMPTOMATIC.

SOME SCHOOLS ARE ASKING STAFF AND STUDENTS TO STAY HOME IF THEY EXHIBIT SYMPTOMS SIMILAR TO CORONAVIRUS, BUT ENFORCEMENT COULD BE DIFFICULT.

AS YOU SAID, THE PARENTS BILL OF RIGHTS WHICH DESANTIS SIGNED INTO LAW EARLIER THIS YEAR, BARS EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS FROM REQUIRING DOCUMENTATION OF VACCINATION OR POST-INFECTION RECOVERY FOR ATTENDANCE.

IF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN EXPOSED AND ARE EXHIBITING SYMPTOMS, THEY'LL HAVE TO STAY HOME FOR 10 TO 14 DAYS.

BUT LIKE I SAID, THIS VARIES DEPENDING ON WHETHER A PERSON IS VACCINATED OR NOT AND HAS SYMPTOMS.

>>AND RYAN, LET ME ASK YOU, THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SAYS STUDENTS WHO EXPERIENCE QUOTE/UNQUOTE "COVID-19 HARASSMENT" BY SCHOOL DISTRICTS CAN GET VOUCHERS NOW TO PAY TO GO TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS THAT DON'T REQUIRE MASKS.

THIS IS SORT OF SOMETHING THAT'S USUALLY USED IN THE REALM OF BULLYING.

HOW WILL THAT WORK?

DO YOU KNOW?

>>SO IN THAT CASE, THEY'RE USING WHAT IS CALLED THE HOPE SCHOLARSHIP, WHICH LIKE YOU MENTIONED, HAS BEEN USED IN THE PAST FOR CASES OF EXTREME BULLYING TO MOVE STUDENTS FROM ONE SCHOOL TO ANOTHER.

>>IN THIS CASE, THEY'RE USING IT FOR WHAT THEY'RE CALLING COVID HARASSMENT, WHICH MIGHT BE MASK REQUIREMENTS, TESTING, OR SITUATIONS WHERE THEY MIGHT SEPARATE STUDENTS BASED ON WHETHER THEY HAVE A COVID DIAGNOSIS, OR IF THEY'RE VACCINATED, IF THEY'RE ELIGIBLE TO BE SO.

OBVIOUSLY AT A PRIVATE SCHOOL, THEY'RE ABLE TO SET THE RULES A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY THAN A PUBLIC SCHOOL, WHERE THEY HAVE SORT OF A BROAD INTERFACE ON THE RULES FOR THE ENTIRE DISTRICT.

I THINK IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN HOW MANY OF THEM ARE USED.

OBVIOUSLY WE'RE JUST GETTING INTO THE SCHOOL YEAR AND EVERYTHING IS VERY FLUID.

SO THE RULES MIGHT CHANGE, AND THAT MIGHT PROMPT MORE PEOPLE TO USE IT.

OR IN THE CASE OF A LOT OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAVING PRETTY FLEXIBLE RULES, THERE MIGHT BE LESS USAGE OF THAT.

I THINK IT'S SORT OF A WAIT AND SEE SITUATION.

>>WE WANT TO LET YOU KNOW, YOU CAN READ THE GOVERNOR'S EXECUTIVE ORDER AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH'S EMERGENCY RULE ON COVID-19 IN SCHOOLS, ON OUR WEBSITE AT WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

>>WELL NEXT TONIGHT, THE CENTRAL FLORIDA ECONOMY CONTINUES TO STRENGTHEN, BUT CAN IT LAST.

IN ORANGE COUNTY, TOURIST DEVELOPMENT TAX COLLECTIONS FOR JUNE HIT THEIR HIGHEST LEVEL SINCE THE START OF THE PANDEMIC.

BUT THAT WAS BEFORE THE MOST RECENT SURGE IN INFECTIONS.

>>WHILE THE MONTH OF JUNE DID BRING GOOD NEWS FOR US WITH RESPECT TO TDT COLLECTIONS AND RESERVES, WE'RE CLEARLY NOT OUT OF THE WOODS YET AS WE SEE CASES INCREASE IN ORANGE COUNTY.

CURRENTLY FLORIDA LEADS THE NATION IN CORONAVIRUS INFECTIONS.

IN ORANGE COUNTY, OUR POSITIVITY RATES AND NEW CASES HAVE BEEN AT ALL-TIME HIGHS.

THIS DOESN'T BODE WELL FOR OUR LONGER-TERM OUTLOOK.

HOWEVER, THE COUNTY'S EFFORTS TO INCREASE VACCINATIONS AND RE-INSTITUTE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS ARE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO ENSURE, NOT ONLY OUR PUBLIC SAFETY, BUT THE HEALTH OF OUR ECONOMY.

>>ALL RIGHT, THAT WAS ORANGE COUNTY COMPTROLLER, PHIL DIAMOND THERE.

RYAN, LET ME START WITH YOU.

VISIT ORLANDO TALKS ABOUT PENT-UP DEMAND.

WHAT HAS BEEN DRIVING THE RECOVERY LOCALLY IN OUR REGION?

>>I THINK YOU'VE SEEN A LOT OF THAT DEMAND DRIVEN BY DOMESTIC TRAVELERS VERSUS INTERNATIONAL.

OBVIOUSLY, ORLANDO FOR A LONG TIME HAS BEEN A DESTINATION WHERE A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM BOTH INSIDE THE US AND OUTSIDE OF THE US TRAVEL TO FOR A LOT OF THE TOURIST ACTIVITIES AND DESTINATIONS THAT WE HAVE HERE.

I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT THE FLIGHT NUMBERS, A LOT OF THE DOMESTIC TRAVEL HAS RETURNED.

BUT OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE OF RESTRICTIONS, A LOT OF THAT INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL HAS YET TO COME BACK.

A LOT OF THE TOURIST PROMOTION ORGANIZATIONS AND THOSE THAT SUPPORT THE HOTELS HAVE TRIED TO PROMOTE, ESPECIALLY EARLY ON IN THE PANDEMIC, TRAVEL WITHIN THE STATE.

A LOT OF THEM TRYING TO SAY, "EXPERIENCE FLORIDA," AND DRIVE TRAVELERS, MAYBE FROM SHORTER DISTANCES, INSTEAD OF MAYBE THE LONGER ONES.

LIKE YOU HAD SORT OF MENTIONED IN THE SEGMENT BEFOREHAND, THE TDT COLLECTIONS ARE ALSO UP.

AND A LOT OF THESE LOCAL TOURISM COMPANIES, BE THEY ATTRACTIONS OR LODGING, ARE ALSO HIRING A LOT OF JOBS.

SO I THINK YOU'RE SEEING A LOT OF THE DEMAND BEING DRIVEN BY LOCAL AND DOMESTIC TRAVELERS.

>>YEAH.

AND RYAN, FROM WHAT BUSINESSES ARE REPORTING FOR THE WEEKS SINCE JUNE, SO LET'S LOOK AT THAT TIMEFRAME.

DO YOU THINK THAT WE CAN EXPECT THOSE PROMISING TRENDS IN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY TO CONTINUE DESPITE THE SURGE?

>>I THINK, OBVIOUSLY THE SUMMER PROVES AS THE OUTLIER.

A LOT OF CHILDREN ARE OUT OF SCHOOL AND A LOT OF FAMILIES ARE TRAVELING TOGETHER.

SO I THINK WE'LL HAVE A BETTER PICTURE AS WE COME INTO THE FALL.

>>USUALLY DECEMBER IS ALSO A HIGH TRAVEL TIME.

SO THE PERIOD IN BETWEEN, IF WE LOOK AT TDT COLLECTIONS, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT WOULD BE A KEY INDICATOR IF THOSE DROP DRASTICALLY THAT PEOPLE ARE STAYING LESS OFTEN HERE AND THE HOTEL STAYS ARE ALSO GOING DOWN.

IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE PARKS, THE TRAFFIC THERE HAS PRETTY MUCH STAYED CONSISTENT.

WE HAVEN'T SEEN REALLY A SIGNIFICANT DROP THERE, WHEN IT COMES TO PEOPLE TRAVELING TO AND FROM LIKE A DISNEY OR UNIVERSAL.

I THINK PEOPLE WHO ARE TRAVELING TO THE PARKS MIGHT HAVE ALREADY MADE THEIR DECISION IN TERMS OF SAFETY.

IF THEY FEEL LIKE IT'S SAFE FOR THEM, THEY'LL DO IT.

AND IF THEY FEEL LIKE IT'S NOT SAFE, THEY MIGHT NOT.

SO FOR THE TIME BEING AT LEAST, WE'VE STILL SEEN PRETTY SOLID TRAVEL LEVELS AT ALL THE LOCAL THEME PARKS AND OTHER TOURIST DESTINATIONS HERE.

>>AND WHEN FLORIDA PASSES ITS PEAK IN INFECTIONS, COULD THE STATE STILL BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO SPIKES IN OTHER PLACES GOING FORWARD?

GIVEN THAT WE'RE A MAJOR DESTINATION, IT'S A LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED HERE, RIGHT?

>>YEAH.

IN TERMS OF JUST THE TRAVEL DR. RAUL PINO WITH THE FLORIDA HEALTH DEPARTMENT, IN THE PAST HAS SPOKE ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR BEING A DESTINATION THAT TRAVELERS IN COULD BRING SOME INFECTIONS, AS WELL AS THE POTENTIAL FOR TRAVELERS HAVING CONCERNED.

I KNOW SOME OF THE LOCAL TRAVEL AGENCIES WHO WORK WITH INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL HAVE SPOKE ABOUT SORT OF THE FEAR THAT SOME TRAVELERS HAVE IN COMING BACK.

IN THAT THERE IS STILL DEMAND TO COME TO HERE AS A DESTINATION, BUT THE FACT THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE STILL CONCERNED ABOUT THE LEVEL OF INFECTIONS HERE.

>>LET ME ASK YOU, RYAN.

WE LEARNED THAT THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS DEVELOPING A PLAN TO GET INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL GOING AGAIN, THAT YOU MENTIONED THERE, BY REQUIRING ALL FOREIGN VISITORS TO BE VACCINATED.

>>HAVE WE HAD ANY REACTION THERE FROM THE TOURISM INDUSTRY LOCALLY?

I MEAN, IT COULD HAVE A LONG-TERM EFFECT, RIGHT?

IF THERE'S LOW VACCINATION RATES IN, SAY, BRAZIL, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR BIGGEST MARKETS, RIGHT?

>>YEAH.

INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, OUR TOURISM REPORTER HAS SPOKEN WITH A LOT OF BUSINESSES WHO WORK WITH TRAVELERS FROM OUTSIDE THE US IN PLACES LIKE THE UK AND BRAZIL.

AND TOP-OF-MIND FOR THEM IS THE LEVEL OF INFECTIONS HERE.

I THINK THEY'VE SEEN IN CERTAIN OTHER COUNTRIES, WHERE THEY'RE STARTING TO SEE THE AVAILABILITY OF VACCINES RAMP UP, YOU'RE STARTING TO SEE PEOPLE SORT OF HAVE A CONCERN FOR THE US'S LAGGING VACCINATION RATES, IN TERMS OF, "OH, IS IT GOING TO BE SAFE WHEN I TRAVEL OVER?"

I THINK THEY'RE STILL SEEING THAT DEMAND.

A LOT OF TRAVEL PLANS ARE BEING PUSHED INTO 2022, ESPECIALLY FOR COUNTRIES WHERE THERE ARE MORE STRICT TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS.

SO I THINK FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, THEY'VE PUSHED THEIR PLANS ONCE, THEY PUSHED THEIR PLANS TWICE.

NOW THEY'RE SORT OF IN A WAITING PATTERN, TRYING TO SEE HOW THE CASE LOADS ARE WHEN TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS ARE LIFTED, AND WHEN THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO SAFELY TRAVEL.

>>AND JUST BRIEFLY, IF YOU CAN, THE DESANTIS ADMINISTRATION SUFFERED A COURT DEFEAT IN NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINES CHALLENGE TO FLORIDA'S VACCINE PASSPORT BAN.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN GOING FORWARD IN PRACTICAL TERMS?

>>SO THEY SUFFERED THAT DEFEAT, BUT THEY ARE TRYING TO APPEAL THE DECISION.

IF THE DECISION ENDS UP STANDING, THAT WOULD BASICALLY ALLOW A LOT OF THE CRUISE LINES TO OPERATE WHERE THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO MANDATE THE LEVEL OF VACCINATIONS REQUIRED FOR TRAVELERS.

I THINK THAT WOULD BE A BIG DEAL FOR THEM IN TERMS OF ENSURING THE LEVEL OF SAFETY THAT THEY WANT TO DO AS THEY OPERATE.

AND I THINK IF THEY'RE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THAT, THAT COULD SET A PRECEDENT FOR OTHER BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES OR OTHER BUSINESSES IN GENERAL.

>>YEAH.

WE'LL CERTAINLY BE WATCHING CLOSELY.

STILL A LOT OF UNANSWERED QUESTIONS.

AND DON'T FORGET, YOU CAN JOIN THIS CONVERSATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

WE'RE AT WUCF ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND INSTAGRAM.

>>ALL RIGHT.

A FEDERAL JUDGE IS CURRENTLY CONSIDERING THE FATE OF THE CDC'S NEW EXTENDED EVICTION MORATORIUM.

EVEN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION SAYS IT DOESN'T EXPECT THE ORDER, WHICH EXPIRES IN OCTOBER, TO HOLD UP IN THE COURTS.

THE ISSUE WEIGHS HEAVILY ON THE MINDS OF MANY PEOPLE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, WHO CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE IN THE PANDEMIC.

I TALKED THIS WEEK WITH ORLANDO SENTINEL REPORTER DESIREE STENNETT, WHO'S COVERING THE ISSUE.

>>IF YOU ASK HOUSING ADVOCATES AND LEADERS OF NONPROFITS LIKE FLORIDA RISING, THEY SAY THAT IT IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY AT THIS POINT FOR US TO HAVE AN EVICTION MORATORIUM IN PLACE.

BECAUSE WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES WHO HAVE FALLEN BEHIND ON RENT AND NEED HELP CATCHING UP.

>>IF LANDLORDS ARE ABLE TO JUST EVICT PEOPLE WITHOUT THE PROTECTION OF A MORATORIUM, THAT COULD LEAVE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE POTENTIALLY HOMELESS.

AND THE LEADERS OF OUR SHELTERS LOCALLY SAY THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO MANAGE AN INFLUX OF MASS HOMELESSNESS.

HOWEVER, IF YOU TALK TO CITY AND COUNTY OFFICIALS, MANY OF THEM WILL SAY THAT THE CRISIS IS NOT QUITE THAT DIRE, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AVAILABLE IN ORANGE COUNTY AND IN THE SURROUNDING AREA, MORE THAN A BILLION ACROSS THE STATE, AVAILABLE IN RENTAL ASSISTANCE TO HELP PEOPLE GET CAUGHT UP ON RENT.

>>BUT WE UNDERSTAND THAT FLORIDA IS ONLY DISTRIBUTED ABOUT 2% OF RENT AID.

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT WHY THAT'S GOING SO SLOWLY?

>>THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES HAS ABOUT $870 MILLION TO GIVE TO FAMILIES IN NEED.

THE REASON FOR THE SLOWDOWN IS, ACCORDING TO DCF, IS BECAUSE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS REQUIRED THAT THEY INVOLVE LANDLORDS IN THE PROCESS AS WELL.

>>SO IN MANY CASES, WHEN THEY WANT TO HELP A TENANT CATCH UP, THE PROCESS OF REACHING OUT TO THE LANDLORD CAN BE STALLED, BECAUSE LANDLORDS ARE NOT QUITE AS RESPONSIVE.

BUT WHAT ADVOCATES ARE SAYING IS THAT DCF HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO, INSTEAD OF WRITING CHECKS TO LANDLORDS, THEY COULD JUST WRITE CHECKS TO THE TENANTS, AND THE TENANTS COULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING THEIR OWN RENT.

>>FROM DCF'S PERSPECTIVE, THAT PROCESS COULD LEAD TO MORE FRAUD IN THE SYSTEM, AND THEY'RE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.

BUT ADVOCATES SAY THAT THEY SHOULD REALLY LET THAT CONCERN GO FOR RIGHT NOW SO THAT MORE MONEY CAN BE DISTRIBUTED.

>>WELL, LET'S TALK ABOUT LANDLORDS.

HOW ARE LANDLORDS, AND THOSE ON THAT SIDE OF THE EQUATION, RECEIVING THE NEW CDC MORATORIUM?

>>LANDLORD GROUPS DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THIS MORATORIUM SHOULD EXIST.

THEY THINK THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE THE POWER TO EVICT PEOPLE, BECAUSE THEY ARE THE PROPERTY OWNERS, AFTER ALL.

AND THEY THINK THAT THE CDC DOES NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO TELL THEM THEY CAN'T DO THAT.

>>AND FRANKLY, AT THIS POINT THE SUPREME COURT AGREES WITH THE LANDLORDS, THAT THE CDC DID OVERSTEP ITS BOUNDS BY PUTTING IN THE LAST EVICTION MORATORIUM.

AND AS WE'VE HEARD, BOTH FROM THE STATE AND FROM OUR COUNTY OFFICIALS WHO ARE RUNNING RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, THERE HAVE BEEN MANY INSTANCES WHERE THE REASON THAT MONEY HAS NOT BEEN DISPERSED IS BECAUSE LANDLORDS HAVE BEEN UNRESPONSIVE.

>>YEAH, WE'LL DIG INTO THAT MORE HERE IN JUST A MOMENT.

BUT FIRST, JULIO, I WANTED TO ASK YOU THIS QUESTION.

WE'VE TALKED ON THIS SHOW A LOT ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH TOLL THIS PANDEMIC HAS TAKEN ON COMMUNITIES.

DO YOU THINK THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND IMPENDING EVICTION CRISIS IN OUR REGION WILL JUST ADD ANOTHER LAYER TO THAT?

>>OH, I DO THINK ABSOLUTELY IT'S GOING TO BE AN ISSUE.

I MEAN, WE'VE SEEN SUICIDE RATES GO UP CONSIDERABLY DURING THIS PANDEMIC.

CALLS TO SUICIDE HOTLINES HAVE GONE THROUGH THE ROOF.

WE'VE BEEN REPORTING ON THAT.

YOU ALL HAVE BEEN REPORTING ON THAT.

BUT STILL, IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S KIND OF FLYING UNDER THE RADAR, AND IT'S IMPACTING PEOPLE OF ALL AGES FROM PRE-TEENS TO ADULT.

SO IF YOU HAVE PEOPLE STRUGGLING FOR HOUSING, IT'S GOING TO JUST ADD ANOTHER LAYER ON TOP OF THAT MENTAL ILLNESS SITUATION.

AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE STRUGGLING A LOT MORE.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL BE WATCHING FOR AS THIS PLAYS OUT.

>>YEAH, IT'S VERY TOUGH ON SO MANY FAMILIES.

RYAN, LET'S GET BACK TO YOU WITH MORE ON WHAT WE HEARD FROM DESIREE HERE A MOMENT AGO.

WHAT ARE YOU HEARING ABOUT THE LIKELY IMPACT ON RENTERS LOCALLY WHEN THIS MORATORIUM EXPIRES?

>>I KNOW ZILLOW HAD, PRIOR TO THE EXTENSION OF THE LAST CDC MORATORIUM INTO OCTOBER, THEY HAD ESTIMATED THAT ROUGHLY 144,000 FLORIDIANS WERE AT RISK OF EVICTION.

AND MUCH OF THOSE WOULD LIKELY BE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, AS WELL AS THE REST OF THE STATE.

>>I THINK A LOT OF AID IS STILL AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE WITHIN CENTRAL FLORIDA, AND THE TROUBLE HAS BEEN TRYING TO ACCESS IT.

A LOT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE MAKING PUSHES RIGHT NOW BEFORE THE MORATORIUM ENDS TO TRY AND GET AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE, BUT THERE'S OBVIOUSLY BEEN SOME BARRIERS.

>>SOME LANDLORDS HAVE REFUSED TO PARTICIPATE IN CERTAIN PROGRAMS THAT REQUIRE THE BOTH OF THEM AND THE TENANT TO PARTICIPATE IN.

SO IT HAS BEEN TOUGH TO SORT OF GET A LOT OF THAT AID OUT.

AND THERE'S STILL A LOT AVAILABLE IN PLACES LIKE ORLANDO AND ORANGE COUNTY.

>>YEAH.

SO MANY FAMILIES, BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC, ARE GOING THROUGH THIS FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME IN THEIR LIVES.

WE WANT TO LET YOU KNOW, YOU CAN FIND A LINK TO THE CDC'S TEMPORARY PROTECTION FROM EVICTION DECLARATION ON OUR WEBSITE WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

AND THAT IS ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR THIS WEEK.

MY THANKS TO RYAN LYNCH FROM THE ORLANDO BUSINESS JOURNAL AND JULIO OCHOA FROM WUSF AND HEALTH NEWS FLORIDA.

AND OF COURSE, STEVE MORT, BY MY SIDE, ALWAYS HERE IN THE STUDIO.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT FRIDAY NIGHT AT 8:30 RIGHT HERE ON WUCF.

FROM ALL OF US HERE AT NEWSNIGHT, HAVE A GOOD AND SAFE WEEKEND.