>>THIS WEEK ON NEWSNIGHT COVID-19 INFECTIONS IN OUR REGION MAY HAVE PEAKED ACCORDING TO HEALTH OFFICIALS BUT HOSPITALS CONTINUE TO DEAL WITH THE FALLOUT FROM FLORIDA'S SUMMER SURGE.

AND, AS MASK MANDATES COME INTO FORCE FOR STUDENTS IN MORE PARTS OF CENTRAL FLORIDA, THE STATE SAYS IT WILL MOVE AHEAD WITH SANCTIONS AGAINST SCHOOL BOARDS THAT REQUIRE FACIAL COVERINGS.

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

SO JOINING US THIS WEEK, MY COLLEAGUE AND FRIEND FROM WFTV CHANNEL 9, ALEXA LORENZO, AND NADEEN YANES FROM WKMG CHANNEL 6, WHERE I ACTUALLY USED TO WORK A LONG TIME AGO.

SO I LOVE BOTH STATIONS.

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

ALL RIGHT, WELL FIRST TONIGHT, HEALTH OFFICIALS IN CENTRAL FLORIDA SAY COVID-19 INFECTIONS AND HOSPITALIZATIONS IN OUR REGION MAY HAVE PEAKED, BUT RAUL PINO FROM THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IN ORANGE COUNTY THIS WEEK SOUNDED A NOTE OF CAUTION.

>>EVERYWHERE AT THIS POINT, AND WITH THE POSITIVITY RATES THAT WE HAVE, AND THE TRANSMISSION RATES THAT WE HAVE, IT'S GOING TO BE DIFFICULT IF YOU DON'T TAKE PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT NOT TO GET IT AT THIS POINT IF YOU DON'T TAKE THE STEPS, BECAUSE AGAIN, IT'S EVERYWHERE.

>>WELL THIS WEEK I SAT DOWN WITH ORANGE COUNTY MAYOR, JERRY DEMINGS TO DISCUSS THE PANDEMIC, AND I STARTED BY ASKING HIM ABOUT THE DEBATE OVER MASKS IN SCHOOLS.

>>ONE OF THE FUNDAMENTAL WAYS THAT WE CAN REDUCE TRANSMISSION IS BY THE WEARING OF FACIAL COVERINGS.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR SCHOOL CHILDREN, THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THEM ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE THE VACCINE.

SO THE ONLY LINE OF DEFENSE FOR OUR CHILDREN REALLY IS TO WEAR FACIAL COVERINGS.

AT THE TIME THAT THE GOVERNOR, THROUGH THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION, MADE A DIRECTIVE THAT SCHOOLS COULD NOT ISSUE MASK MANDATES, THEY DIDN'T KNOW THAT WE WILL HAVE THE DELTA VARIANT THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE THAT IS SO AGGRESSIVE.

IF WE WANT TO PROTECT THE LIFE, HEALTH, AND WELLNESS OF OUR CITIZENS, OUR LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS SHOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE DECISIONS IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE STUDENTS WITHIN ITS RESPECTIVE DISTRICTS.

>>YOU'VE RECEIVED SOME SIGNIFICANT PUSHBACKS ON YOUR MANDATE THAT ORANGE COUNTY GOVERNMENT STAFF GET VACCINATED, BUT YOU'VE REVEALED THAT FIVE MEMBERS OF STAFF AT THE ORANGE COUNTY GOVERNMENT HAVE DIED, INCLUDING SOMEBODY IN YOUR OWN OFFICE, FROM COVID-19.

HOW WOULD YOU EXPLAIN THAT CONTINUED RESISTANCE TO GETTING VACCINATED AMONGST SOME?

>>IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO EXPLAIN WHY WE SEE THE RESISTANCE OF SOME TO GETTING VACCINATED.

I BELIEVE EARLY ON AS AN AMERICAN RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC, IT WAS OVERLY POLITICIZED ALONG PARTISAN LINES, AND IT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN.

THE DECISIONS THAT SHOULD BE MADE SHOULD BE MADE UP ALONG THE LINES OF LOOKING AT THE BONAFIDE, CERTIFIED, AUTHENTIC DATA.

I BELIEVE FUNDAMENTALLY, BASED UPON THE DATA, THAT THE ABSOLUTE BEST COURSE OF ACTION IS TO ENCOURAGE INDIVIDUALS TO GET VACCINATED.

ONE, TO PREVENT THE SPREAD.

TWO, TO WEAR FACIAL COVERINGS.

AND SO I'M GOING TO STAY FOCUSED ON THAT AS WE TRY TO REDUCE THESE NUMBERS THAT CURRENTLY ARE IN THE HIGH RISK CATEGORY OF REPORTS ACROSS THE NATION.

>>WE MAY HAVE PEAKED IN THIS LATEST WAVE, BUT THE TOLL AS DR. PINO HAS SAID, MAY CONTINUE FOR SOME TIME.

WE MAY NOT SEE A PEAK IN DEATHS UNTIL SOMETIME LATER IN SEPTEMBER.

THAT'S ALWAYS A LAGGING INDICATOR, AS WE'VE BEEN TOLD THROUGHOUT THIS PANDEMIC.

WHAT IN YOUR MIND IS THE COST OF THE STATE'S DECISION TO STRIP PEOPLE LIKE YOURSELF, LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, OF THEIR ABILITY TO IMPOSE MANDATES ON A LOCAL LEVEL?

>>SOME OF THE DECISIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE AT THE STATE LEVEL HAVE NOT BEEN HELPFUL TO THOSE OF US AT THE LOCAL LEVEL WHO ARE ON THE GROUND, WORKING TIRELESSLY TO REACT AND RESPOND TO THE VIRUS.

WHEN OUR RESIDENTS DIAL 911, WHEN THEY GET SICK, YOU KNOW WHO RESPONDS, IT'S A LOCAL FIREFIGHTER, PARAMEDICS, AND EMTS, AND OTHER EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE PERSONNEL WHO ARE RESPONDING TO THOSE CALLS FOR SERVICE.

BECAUSE OF THAT, THESE ARE EMPLOYEES OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, AND WE HAVE TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE DECISIONS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR EMPLOYEES, AS WELL AS OUR RESIDENTS WHO BECOME PATIENTS OF THE VARIOUS HOSPITALS.

WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT ABILITY TO BE MOST EFFECTIVE.

I HAVE MUCH EXPERIENCE IN RESPONDING TO NUMEROUS TYPES OF CRISES, AND SO IT BODES WELL FOR ME IN MY LEADERSHIP ROLE HERE IN ORANGE COUNTY NOW, AS ORANGE COUNTY MAYOR AND THE PRINCIPAL CRISIS MANAGER FOR OUR RESPONSE HERE WITHIN THE ORANGE COUNTY AREA.

>>ALL RIGHT, WE WILL TALK MORE ABOUT SCHOOLS IN A BIT, BUT FIRST, ALEXA WE'LL START WITH YOU.

I INTERVIEWED DR. TIM HENDRIX FROM ADVENT HEALTH THIS WEEK, AND HE TALKED ABOUT, "A TWINKLE OF LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL."

THAT IS HOW HE DESCRIBED IT.

WE ARE SEEING A SLIGHT DECLINE IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THE HOSPITAL WITH COVID-19.

HOW DO HEALTH OFFICIALS EXPLAIN THIS LATEST TREND?

>>RIGHT, IT'S A TWINKLE NANCY.

RIGHT NOW INFECTIONS ARE SLOWING DOWN WHICH MEANS CASES ARE DROPPING, LEADING TO LESS HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS.

BUT ON THE FLIP SIDE UNFORTUNATELY, DEATHS ARE INCREASING.

THE FLORIDA HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION SAYS THAT WHAT WE'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW, THIS DOWNWARD CURVE, IS SIGNIFICANT BUT THEY WANT EVERYONE TO REALLY REALIZE THAT WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW WITH FLORIDA HOSPITALIZATIONS IS STILL 50% MORE PEOPLE HOSPITALIZED FOR COVID-19 IN FLORIDA THAN DURING LAST YEAR'S WORST PEAK.

>>NADEEN, ADVENT HEALTH THIS WEEK MOVED FROM ITS HIGHEST BLACK LEVEL BACK TO RED.

SO HOW DOES HOSPITAL CAPACITY LOOK NOW?

>>WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS A DOWNWARD TREND AT ADVENT HEALTH.

SO MOVING FROM BLACK STATUS, WHICH THEY WERE IN FOR MORE THAN A MONTH, DEFERRING NON-EMERGENT PEDIATRIC SURGERIES, WE ARE NOW BACK TO RED STATUS.

SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

IT MEANS THOSE SURGERIES THAT WERE DEFERRED, INCLUDING OUTPATIENT SURGERIES, PEDIATRIC SURGERIES, THEY CAN CONTINUE.

AS FOR NON TIME SENSITIVE AND ELECTIVE SURGERIES, THEY HAVE TO STILL BE APPROVED BY THE CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER, BUT THAT POSSIBLE PEAK SEEMS TO BE ALLEVIATING OUR LOCAL HOSPITALS.

I WANT TO ADD THAT I SPECIFICALLY ASKED DR. PINO IF WE'RE SEEING AN INCREASE IN CAPACITY AT HOSPITALS BECAUSE THAT PEAK IS COMING DOWN, OR BECAUSE WE HAVE MORE DEATHS AND HE SAYS, "IT'S BOTH.

YOU EITHER GET DISCHARGED IN TWO WAYS OUT OF A HOSPITAL.

YOU GET BETTER, OR UNFORTUNATELY YOU DIE."

AS DEATHS INCREASE, THAT IS ALLOWING FOR MORE CAPACITY.

BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS THEY'RE SEEING THAT POSITIVITY RATE COME DOWN WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND WITHIN THE HOSPITALS.

ADVENT HEALTH BACK TO RED STATUS TODAY.

>>ALEXA, THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH'S RAUL PINO THIS WEEK SAID HE EXPECTED DEATHS TO PEAK SOMETIME LATER THIS MONTH, BUT HOSPITALS SAY THEY'RE ALREADY HAVING TO ADJUST TO THAT SHARP UPTICK WE SAW IN FATALITIES.

SO LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE PROBLEMS THEY'RE FACING.

WE KNOW ONE OF THE MOST MORBID THINGS WE'VE HAD TO TALK ABOUT ON THE AIR THIS WEEK IS THE CAPACITY IN THE MORGUES.

>>YEAH, AND THESE DEATHS ARE CAUSING A MASSIVE DELAY AT FUNERAL HOMES.

SO THEY ARE JUST OVERWHELMED RIGHT NOW.

I'VE SPOKEN WITH FAMILIES THAT SAY, "WE WANT TO HAVE A FUNERAL FOR OUR LOVED ONE WHO PASSED AWAY FROM COVID, AS SOON AS WE CAN HAVE IT, " TWO, THREE WEEKS OUT.

SO THEY'RE VERY OVERWHELMED AT THESE FUNERAL HOMES.

YOU ALSO HAVE COMPANIES WHO PICK UP THESE BODIES, THESE LOVED ONES AT HOSPITALS AND TAKE THEM TO FUNERAL HOMES.

THEY'RE TRYING TO FIND BIGGER TRUCKS RIGHT NOW TO BE ABLE TO TRANSPORT MORE PEOPLE.

THEY'RE ALSO SAYING THEY'RE SEEING A BACKUP AT THE FUNERAL HOMES WHEN THEY GET THERE, WAITING BECAUSE THERE ARE MORE TRUCKS IN LINE.

AND JUST THE GRIM REALITY WE FACE AS AGAIN, NADEEN SAID, HOSPITALIZATIONS GO DOWN BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY YOU GET BETTER OR YOU PASS AWAY FROM THE VIRUS.

>>NADEEN, IF YOU WANT TO ADD TO THAT.

I MEAN WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT JUST THE CHALLENGES THESE HOSPITALS ARE FACING.

AS I MENTIONED, IT INCLUDES STORAGE ISSUES AT THE HOSPITALS.

YOU GUYS HAVE COVERED THAT AS WELL AT CHANNEL 6.

>>IT'S BEEN A REALLY GRIM REALITY THIS TIME AROUND WHEN WE'RE HEARING, FIRST OF LIQUID OXYGEN ISSUES AND SHORTAGES JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO.

NOW WE'RE HEARING SHORTAGES OF CAPACITY TO PUT THESE BODIES, UNFORTUNATELY.

SO WE KNOW THE HOSPITALS REACHED OUT TO ORANGE COUNTY AND THE ORANGE COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE HAD OFFERED A LITTLE BIT OF EXTRA SPACE.

THAT WAS SOMETHING NEW THAT WE LEARNED THIS WEEK.

THEN LATE LAST WEEK WE HEARD OF THIS COALITION CALLED THE CENTRAL FLORIDA MEDICAL DISASTER COALITION THAT ACTUALLY IS BRINGING IN 14 PORTABLE MORGUES TO THE HOSPITAL.

FOUR OF THEM ARE ALREADY HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, AS OF YESTERDAY.

THEY'RE HEADED OVER TO ADVENT HEALTH, HALIFAX, LEESBURG HOSPITAL.

WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE OTHER 10 WILL BE HEADED TO PLACES LIKE ORLANDO HEALTH AS WELL.

TO ADD TO ALEXA'S POINT, THE MAYOR SAID THAT AT A FUNERAL HOME THIS WEEK, THEY HAD TWO VIEWINGS IN A SINGLE ROOM BECAUSE THE CAPACITY ISSUES FROM THE HOSPITALS TO THE FUNERAL HOMES, OBVIOUSLY IMPACTING FAMILIES AS WELL.

>>JUST SURREAL THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.

ALEXA, WE HEAR A LOT OF TESTIMONIALS FROM UNVACCINATED PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN HOSPITALIZED.

IS THERE ANY INDICATION FROM THE NUMBERS THAT THE MESSAGE IS GETTING THROUGH?

>>KIND OF A HARD QUESTION TO ANSWER NANCY, BECAUSE IF WE LOOK AT THE NUMBERS POINT BLANK, LAST WEEK COMPARED TO THE WEEK PRIOR VACCINATIONS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA ARE DOWN 24%.

SO YOU LOOK AT THE LINE GRAPH, WE ARE DECLINING WITH VACCINATIONS.

BUT WHEN I TALKED TO SOME PEOPLE, THEY TELL ME, "MY AUNT WAS HOSPITALIZED.

SHE ALMOST DIDN'T MAKE IT.

SHE WAS UNVACCINATED, AND THAT IS WHY I GOT THE VACCINE."

WE TALKED TO PEOPLE WHO ARE ON OXYGEN IN THEIR HOSPITAL BEDS, BEGGING FOR PEOPLE TO GET THE VACCINE, AND THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT FROM THEIR HOSPITAL STAY.

THEY SAY, "OBVIOUSLY I WANT TO GET BACK TO MY FAMILY, BUT I WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GET THE SHOT."

WE HAVE HEARD PEOPLE SAY, "I WATCHED THAT, IT HIT HOME, AND I GOT THE VACCINE".

>>NADEEN, LET ME TURN TO YOU ON THIS ONE.

THE MIAMI HERALD THIS WEEK STUDIED DATA RELEASED BY THE STATE, AND FOUND THE WAY FLORIDA REPORTS ITS DEATH NUMBERS HAS GIVEN A FALSE IMPRESSION OF A PANDEMIC IN DECLINE.

HOW HAS FLORIDA CHANGED THE WAY IT REPORTS DEATHS?

>>WELL, THE MIAMI HERALD CLAIMS THAT OVERNIGHT, THEY SAW THAT ALL THE DEATHS REPORTED IN THE LAST YEAR, THE NUMBERS HAD CHANGED.

WHEN THEY LOOKED INTO IT WITH A PROFESSOR, THEY SAID THAT THEY REALIZED THAT THE STATE OF FLORIDA IS NOW REPORTING DEATHS BY DEATH DATE AND NOT BY THE DAY THAT THEY WERE REPORTED.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE'RE HEARING THAT THERE WERE A HUNDRED DEATHS TODAY, BUT UNTIL THEY GET TALLIED AND PROCESSED AND DEATH CERTIFICATE, THEY MIGHT GO DOWN A LITTLE BIT.

SO THE MIAMI HERALD IS SAYING THAT LAG TIME IS MAKING "AN ARTIFICIAL DECLINE" IN REPORTING DEATHS.

NOW IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE STORY WAS REPORTED BY THE MIAMI HERALD, THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH PUT OUT THEIR OWN PRESS RELEASE JUST YESTERDAY SAYING, "LOOK, WE HAVE CHANGED THIS BECAUSE THE DATE OF DEATH IS THE MOST ACCURATE WAY TO REPORT THE DEATHS."

SO YOU COULD LEAVE IT UP TO WHETHER OR NOT THIS WAS ON PURPOSE, BUT WE DO KNOW THEY'VE CHANGED THE WAY THEY'RE REPORTING THE DEATHS.

>>THE STATE HAS PUSHED BACK PRETTY HARD ON THAT REPORT.

YOU CAN SEE MY FULL INTERVIEW WITH ORANGE COUNTY MAYOR, JERRY DEMINGS ON OUR WEBSITE.

IT'S AT WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

OKAY.

NEXT TONIGHT, MORE ON THE HEATED DEBATE OVER MASKS IN SCHOOLS, FOLLOWING A JUDGE'S OPINION LAST WEEK THAT THE STATE SHOULD NOT ENFORCE ITS BAN ON MASK MANDATES.

THE FLORIDA EDUCATION COMMISSIONER IS PUSHING AHEAD WITH SANCTIONS AGAINST SCHOOL DISTRICTS, EVEN THOUGH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS PROMISED TO STEP IN TO MAKE UP ANY FUNDING CUTS.

THIS WEEK, VOLUSIA AND BREVARD COUNTIES JOINED THE DISTRICTS MANDATING FACE COVERINGS FOR STUDENTS.

WHILE EARLIER WE HEARD FROM MAYOR DEMINGS WHO SUPPORTS REQUIRING MASKS FOR KIDS IN CLASSROOMS, NOW LET'S HEAR FROM BREVARD'S REPUBLICAN STATE REPRESENTATIVE, RANDY FINE, WHO OPPOSES DISTRICT MANDATES AND SAYS LAST WEEK'S COURT OPINION THAT GOVERNOR DESANTIS DOES NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO BAN MASK MANDATES WILL BE APPEALED.

>>PEOPLE ARE PLACING WAY TOO MUCH EMPHASIS ON THE OPINION OF THIS ONE JUDGE.

IT'S LIKE DECLARING WHO WINS A BASKETBALL GAME AFTER THE FIRST QUARTER IS OVER.

>>YOUR OWN SCHOOL DISTRICT'S BOARD IN BREVARD DID CHOOSE TO IMPOSE A MASK MANDATE TOO.

YOU'VE TAKEN A VERY HARD LINE ON DISTRICTS THAT HAVE DONE THE SAME.

ARE YOU IN FAVOR OF TAKING AWAY MONEY FROM THOSE WHO RUN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT THERE IN BREVARD WHO MAKE THESE DECISIONS?

>>ABSOLUTELY.

I DON'T THINK YOU CAN PAY PEOPLE WHO INTENTIONALLY CHOOSE TO BREAK THE LAW BECAUSE THEY SIMPLY DON'T LIKE IT.

THAT'S NOT DEMOCRACY.

THAT'S ANARCHY.

>>THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SAID IT WILL MAKE UP THAT SHORTFALL A HUNDRED PERCENT.

WHAT WOULD BE THE POINT OF TAKING AWAY THAT MONEY IF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN JUST DO THAT?

>>WELL, THESE ARE THE SAME PEOPLE WHO LEAVE AMERICANS BEHIND IN AFGHANISTAN.

SO I REALLY DON'T CARE WHAT THEY THINK.

>>WELL, YOU HAVE TO CARE DON'T YOU?

BECAUSE THEY MAY DO IT ANYWAY, AND THAT WOULD LEAVE THE POLICY OF CUTTING THAT MONEY TOOTHLESS.

WOULDN'T IT?

>>NO.

WE'LL STILL DO THE RIGHT THING IN FLORIDA.

I MEAN, IF JOE BIDEN WANTS TO DISTRACT HIMSELF FROM SAVING AMERICAN LIVES TO INTERFERE IN WHAT WE'RE DOING IN FLORIDA, THAT WILL JUST MAKE HIM LOOK MORE STUPID THAN HE ALREADY DOES.

BUT IN FLORIDA, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO THE RIGHT THING.

THE OTHER THING I WOULD SAY IS THE COMMISSIONER AND THE GOVERNOR HAVE MADE CLEAR THAT THIS IS NOT THE ONLY AVENUE THAT IS AVAILABLE TO THEM TO HOLD THESE LAWLESS POLITICIANS ACCOUNTABLE.

>>BUT SCHOOL BOARDS SAY THEY HAVE A CONSTITUTIONALLY PROTECTED MANDATE TO RUN SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN FLORIDA.

THIS IS A LEGITIMATE DISAGREEMENT OVER THE LAW.

ISN'T IT?

WOULDN'T IT BE BETTER FOR ALL SIDES TO SIT DOWN AND WORK SOMETHING OUT THAT'S MUTUALLY AGREEABLE, RATHER THAN FIGHT IT OUT IN THE COURTS?

>>NO, BECAUSE THESE SCHOOL BOARDS HAVE NO INTEREST IN STUDENTS' SAFETY.

THEY'RE FRAUDS.

THEY'RE CHARLATANS.

LET ME GIVE YOU A GREAT EXAMPLE.

THERE'S BEEN NO EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT SAID THESE SCHOOL DISTRICTS COULD NOT REQUIRE MASKS OF ADULTS.

THEY COULD HAVE DONE THAT A MONTH AGO.

THEY HAVE NOT, AT LEAST HERE IN BREVARD COUNTY.

AND BY THE WAY, THERE IS EVIDENCE FROM THE CDC THAT SUGGESTS THAT WORKS.

WHEREAS THERE'S NO SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE THAT SUGGESTS MASKING CHILDREN WORKS.

THEY COULD TRY TO REQUIRE THEIR EMPLOYEES TO GET VACCINATED IF THEY WERE SO WORRIED.

I WOULDN'T SUPPORT IT, BUT THE SCIENCE WOULD SHOW THAT WOULD HELP.

SO INSTEAD OF ACTUALLY FOCUSING ON THINGS THAT WOULD ACTUALLY SOLVE THE PROBLEM, THESE CHARLATANS JUST WANT TO VIRTUE SIGNAL BY MASKING CHILDREN, WHERE THERE'S NO SCIENCE THAT IT ACTUALLY WORKS AT ALL.

>>ALL RIGHT.

SO LET'S DIVE INTO THE ISSUES OF SCHOOLS DURING THIS PANDEMIC AND OUR STUDENTS.

NADEEN AT THE VERY START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, WE SAW A LARGE NUMBER OF STUDENTS AND TEACHERS TESTING POSITIVE, OR IN QUARANTINE.

IT'S BEEN SO STRESSFUL FOR SCHOOL LEADERS.

WHAT ARE WE SEEING NOW THAT WE'RE A FEW WEEKS IN?

>>WELL, NANCY, I DO WANT TO GIVE YOU SOME CONTEXT.

IF YOU GO BACK TO THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, AUGUST 10TH, THERE WERE 42 CASES REPORTED THAT DAY.

THE LATEST DATA THAT WE HAVE AT THE TIME OF THIS RECORDING IS TUESDAY.

WE'RE AT 319 POSITIVE CASES.

THAT'S SEVEN TIMES THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, AND WE'RE ONLY MORE THAN THREE WEEKS IN.

OUR HIGHEST DAY EVER SO FAR THIS SCHOOL YEAR WAS LAST MONDAY, 420 CASES.

NOW THE TEACHER'S UNION PRESIDENT POINTED OUT TO ME THAT THE HIGHEST DAY EVER REPORTED IN A SINGLE DAY LAST YEAR, WAS 195 CASES AT OUR HIGHEST PEAK IN THE ENTIRE SCHOOL YEAR.

SO WE'RE ALREADY SEEING DOUBLE, TRIPLE THE AMOUNT OF CASES THREE WEEKS INTO THIS NEW SCHOOL YEAR.

THAT'S PROBABLY WHY ORANGE COUNTY WENT AHEAD AND ENACTED MASK MANDATES.

IN THE SECOND FULL WEEK OF SCHOOL IN OSCEOLA COUNTY, THEY CLOSED DOWN AN ENTIRE SCHOOL BECAUSE OF THIS.

SO THAT'S PROBABLY WHY YOU'RE SEEING SOME SCHOOL DISTRICTS MAKE THIS MOVE.

I HAVE TO ADD OSCEOLA COUNTY DECIDED TO VOTE AGAINST ENACTING A MASK MANDATE THIS WEEK.

>>CELEBRATION K-8, WE SAW SHUT DOWN.

ALEXA, WE'VE SEEN SCHOOL BOARDS IN TRADITIONALLY REPUBLICAN COUNTIES IN CENTRAL FLORIDA AND ELSEWHERE IMPOSE MANDATES.

IS THIS A SIGN THAT THIS MAY BE MORE OF A BIPARTISAN ISSUE THAN IT APPEARS?

>>FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, SCIENTISTS, RESEARCHERS HAVE BEEN BEGGING TO NOT MAKE THIS POLITICAL, BUT IT SEEMS IT HAS GONE THAT WAY.

BUT IN THE PAST TWO, THREE WEEKS, LIKE NADEEN WAS SAYING, WE WATCHED BOARDS FLIP, RIGHT?

I WAS IN THE FIRST BREVARD COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD MEETING WHERE THEY SAID, "WE'RE NOT DOING A NON OPT-OUT MASK.

WE'RE DOING OPTIONAL.

THAT'S WHERE WE STAND."

FAST FORWARD TWO WEEKS, AND THEY SWITCHED.

THEY REVIEWED THE CASES.

THEY REVIEWED THE DATA AND SAID WE HAVE TO SIDE WITH SCIENCE HERE.

WE WATCHED BOARD MEMBERS SAY, "I WAS WRONG LAST WEEK.

THINGS HAVE CHANGED, SCIENCE HAS CHANGED.

WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS."

SO I THINK PEOPLE ARE REALLY STARTING TO STEP BACK AND LOOK AT THE RESEARCH, LOOK AT THE SCIENCE, LOOK AT THE DATA, AND WORRY ABOUT SAFETY HERE.

>>NADEEN IN OUR REGION'S BIGGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT, ORANGE COUNTY, A MASK MANDATE IS NOW IN PLACE.

THE STATE HAS PROTESTED.

OCPS SAYS IT WILL DEFEND ITS POSITION.

I CONTINUE TO SAY THE SCHOOL YEAR WILL BE OVER BY THE TIME WE ALL SETTLE THIS, I THINK.

SO WHAT DO DISTRICT OFFICIALS SAY THEY'RE SEEING IN TERMS OF COMPLIANCE AND WHETHER ANY PARENTS ARE PULLING KIDS OUT OF SCHOOL AS A RESULT OF THE MANDATE, IS THAT ACTUALLY HAPPENING?

>>NANCY, I HAVE PERSONALLY SPOKEN TO ONE MOTHER WHO SAID SHE'S OFF HER PARENT'S CHOICE.

SHE DID NOT WANT TO HAVE HER KIDS IN MASKS.

SHE WAS NOT HAPPY WITH ALL THE CONFUSION AND THE BACK AND FORTH, AND ULTIMATELY NOT HAPPY WITH ORANGE COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD GOING AHEAD AND MANDATING MASK MANDATES.

SO SHE HAS PULLED TWO OF HER THREE KIDS FOR HOMESCHOOLING BECAUSE OF THAT REASON.

>>ASIDE FROM THAT, WE DID SEE A LARGE GROUP OF PROTESTERS WHO WERE AGAINST THE MASK MANDATES.

I HAVE TO SAY THAT MY HIGH SCHOOL AP ENGLISH TEACHER FROM LEESBURG HIGH SCHOOL TEXTED ME AND SAID THE SAME PEOPLE WE SAW OUTSIDE OF ORANGE COUNTY WERE THE SAME PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF LAKE COUNTY SCHOOLS TOO.

SO THERE MIGHT BE A BIGGER VOICE THAN ACTUALLY PEOPLE FOLLOWING THROUGH WITH WHAT THEY'RE SAYING.

THE GOOD NEWS IS THIS WEEK, ORANGE COUNTY SCHOOLS SAID THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY BIG DISRUPTIONS, NO HIGH ABSENCES, LAST THAT WE ASKED.

SO IT SEEMS LIKE THERE IS COMPLIANCE WITHIN THE CLASSROOMS.

WE HAVEN'T HEARD OF ANYTHING REPORTED AT THIS POINT.

NOW KEEP IN MIND ONLY ABOUT 8% OF STUDENTS WANTED TO OPT OUT OF WEARING MASKS ACROSS 209,000 STUDENTS.

YOU HAVE SOME SCHOOLS, WINDERMERE ELEMENTARY HAD ABOUT 30% OF STUDENTS OPT OUT, BUT WE HAVEN'T HEARD ANY OF DISRUPTIONS OR NONCOMPLIANCE.

SO ON THAT SIDE, I'M GOING TO TAKE IT AS A WIN.

>>ALEXA, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE LAW A MOMENT.

ATTORNEY GENERAL, ASHLEY MOODY, SAYS THE SCHOOL BOARDS SHOULD COMPLY WITH THE STATE AND GIVE PARENTS AN OPT-OUT.

AS OF THIS RECORDING, AT LAST CHECK AT LEAST, THE WRITTEN RULING HAS YET TO BE FILED.

THE GOVERNOR SAYS HE'S CONFIDENT THE STATE WILL WIN AN APPEAL ANYWAY.

THE STATE SEEMS TO BE PREPARED TO SORT OF ACT AGAINST THOSE DISTRICTS.

WHAT HAS THE STATE SAID ABOUT ITS DECISION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SANCTIONS?

>>ALL RIGHT, BUCKLE UP BECAUSE THIS ONE IS A LONG ONE.

BASICALLY THEY WENT THROUGH WITH THE THREAT.

THEY WERE DANGLING FUNDING FOR A WHILE AND FAST FORWARD A FEW WEEKS, AND THEY WENT THROUGH WITH THAT THREAT.

THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH HAS NOW WITHHELD MONTHLY SALARIES FOR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS IN ALACHUA AND BROWARD COUNTIES WHO MOVED FORWARD WITH MASK MANDATES FOR SCHOOLS, NO OPT-OUT.

THEY DID THOSE FIRST BECAUSE THOSE WERE THE FIRST TWO OF NOW A DOZEN SCHOOLS TO SAY, "WE ARE DEFYING DESANTIS AND WE'RE GOING THROUGH WITH THIS."

SO WE COULD POTENTIALLY SEE SOME OF THOSE SANCTIONS COME DOWN FOR SCHOOLS IN OUR AREA, SCHOOL DISTRICTS, IN OUR AREA THAT HAVE DONE IT A LITTLE LATER.

>>SO YOU'RE PROBABLY WONDERING HOW IS THIS ALL HAPPENING IF THE JUDGE RULED THAT DESANTIS'S ORDER WAS UNCONSTITUTIONAL?

SO THAT OPINION WAS DELIVERED ORALLY AND IT'S NOT EFFECTIVE ACCORDING TO THE LAW, UNTIL IT IS WRITTEN AND FILED.

AGAIN, AS OF THIS TAPING, NO RULING HAS BEEN FILED, WHICH HAS GIVEN AN OPENING TO GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS'S ADMINISTRATION TO ACT.

SO IN COMES FLORIDA ATTORNEY GENERAL, ASHLEY MOODY AND INJECTS HER LEGAL OPINION.

SHE SAYS SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE TO COMPLY WITH THE STATE RULE THAT LETS PARENTS HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE THEIR OWN CHOICE.

SHE SAYS, THIS IS THE WAY IT HAS TO BE, UNLESS THE JUDICIARY DECLARES THEM INVALID.

SO THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TURNED AROUND, SAID, "LISTEN TO HER.

SHE'S OUR ATTORNEY GENERAL.

THE JUDICIARY HAS NOT DECLARED THE RULE TO BE INVALID.

SO YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO US AND COMPLY WITH THE GOVERNOR'S ORDER."

>>I'M STICKING TO THIS NOTION THAT THE SCHOOL YEAR WILL END AND WE WILL STILL BE DEBATING THIS.

ALL RIGHT.

WE SHOULD NOTE THAT WE ARE TAPING THIS SHOW ON THURSDAY MORNING.

SO THINGS COULD CHANGE BY AIRTIME.

THE SEMINOLE AND LAKE COUNTY SCHOOL BOARDS WILL MEET LATER.

MEANWHILE, YOU CAN FIND STEVE'S FULL INTERVIEW WITH REPRESENTATIVE RANDY FINE ON OUR WEBSITE WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

>>WELL, AS NADEEN MENTIONED EARLIER, ONE SCHOOL BOARD THAT HAS NOT CHOSEN TO IMPOSE A MASK MANDATE IS OSCEOLA COUNTY.

MEMBERS THIS WEEK CHOSE TO KEEP FACE COVERINGS OPTIONAL AFTER A HEATED EMERGENCY MEETING.

WELL WE WANTED TO DELVE A LITTLE DEEPER INTO HOW THE PANDEMIC IS PLAYING OUT IN OSCEOLA COUNTY SCHOOLS, SO I SPOKE WITH STEPHANIE BECHARA WHO COVERS THE COUNTY FOR SPECTRUM NEWS 13.

>>IT SEEMED LIKE THE MAJORITY OF THESE PARENTS THAT WENT THROUGH AND SPOKE DURING PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, WHICH WAS CALLED AS AN EMERGENCY MEETING WERE MAINLY SAYING, "HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT?

WE DON'T WANT OUR CHILDREN TO BE MASKED 24/7."

ONE PARENT SAYING, "MASKS TRULY HAVE A TOLL ON MENTAL HEALTH."

THEY TALKED ABOUT HOW THEY BELIEVE IT'S HARDER FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER, FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS TO HAVE THAT ENGAGEMENT.

MORE DIFFICULT FOR THE STUDENTS EVEN TO EMPATHIZE WITH THE REST OF THEIR PEERS.

THEY JUST FELT LIKE IT'S BEEN A LONG 18 MONTHS, WE DON'T NEED TO HAVE THESE MASKS BE MANDATORY.

BUT FROM OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN, THERE WERE OTHER PARENTS THAT SHOWED UP WHO DID NOT AGREE.

SOME EVEN SAYING, "YOU KNOW WHAT?

I THINK THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SHOULD RULE THAT THEY WILL PROVIDE N-95 MASKS TO ALL STUDENTS.

THAT SHOULD BE A RULE OF THUMB."

SOME OF THEM TALKING ABOUT WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO ENFORCE THE MASK MANDATE AT ALL, THAT IT DOESN'T DO ANY GOOD.

THAT AT THIS POINT, SOME OF THESE PARENTS ARE FEELING LIKE SAFETY COMES FIRST AND THAT EDUCATION EVEN COMES SECOND.

>>WE'VE SEEN IT IN SOME DISTRICTS THE SCHOOL BOARD'S QUITE DIVIDED ON THE ISSUE.

IN OTHERS, THERE IS A DEGREE OF UNANIMITY.

HOW DID THE BOARD IN OSCEOLA COME DOWN ON MASKS?

>>IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE REALLY THERE WAS ONLY ONE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, HER NAME, TERRY CASTILLO, WHO MADE THAT MOTION SAYING, "YOU KNOW WHAT, LET'S MAKE MASKS MANDATORY, UNIVERSAL FOR BOTH TEACHERS, STAFF, STUDENTS."

NOBODY IN THAT BOARD SECONDED THAT MOTION, MEANING THAT MOTION JUST DIED.

I SPOKE TO TERRY CASTILLO AFTER THE MEETING, "WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THE OUTCOME?

HOW ARE YOU FEELING ABOUT THAT?"

AND SHE SAYS, "STEPHANIE, I HAVE MY CONCERNS ABOUT SAFETY OVER OUR STUDENTS.

I UNDERSTAND, I DON'T WANT STUDENTS TO BE WEARING THESE MASKS FOR FOREVER.

IT HAS BEEN A LONG, 18 MONTHS FOR PRETTY MUCH EVERYONE OUT HERE, BUT WE DO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO KEEP OUR DISTRICT SAFE."

SHE SAID THAT THIS IS THE WAY SHE FELT LIKE SHE COULD MAKE THAT A POSSIBILITY.

>>SO WHAT ARE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS IN OSCEOLA DOING WITH THE TOOLS THAT THEY DO HAVE TO TRY TO PREVENT SPREAD?

>>THERE WAS A SCHOOL THAT ACTUALLY CLOSED DOWN TEMPORARILY, CELEBRATION K-8.

THEY HAD 240 PLUS STUDENTS WHO WERE IN QUARANTINE, MORE THAN 52 POSITIVE CASES.

I THINK THAT SCHOOL HAS ABOUT 1,600 STUDENTS, MORE OR LESS.

WHEN I SPOKE TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ABOUT THAT, THEY SAID "WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE FOLLOWING THE PROTOCOLS THAT WE HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING."

THAT IS THE THOROUGH COVID CLEANING REGULATIONS.

THEY SAY THAT THEY'RE PRETTY STRICT ABOUT THIS STUFF.

IN THE CASE OF THAT SCHOOL THAT WAS CLOSED DOWN, CELEBRATION K-8, THEY WENT BACK AND ACTUALLY THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE CAMPUS, THEY DID A 90-DAY BARRIER AS A PRECAUTION, RESPRAYED THE WHOLE CAMPUS IN ORDER TO GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP THIS WEEK.

>>I KNOW I INTERVIEWED ONE OF THE PARENTS OF A CHILD THAT GOES THERE, A FIFTH GRADER, AND SHE IS STILL JUST SO CONCERNED.

SHE SAYS SHE WANTS HER KID TO DEFINITELY WEAR A MASK.

THIS FOR HER ACTUALLY HITS CLOSE TO HOME.

THIS WOMAN HAD HER UNCLE PASS AWAY FROM COVID-19.

HE WAS A JANITOR AT CELEBRATION K-8.

THIS WAS ALMOST ABOUT A YEAR AGO NOW.

WE FIRST REPORTED ON THAT LAST YEAR AUGUST.

INCREDIBLE THAT A YEAR HAS GONE BY, BUT WITH THE LOSS OF HER UNCLE, JUST SOMEONE SO CLOSE TO THE FAMILY AND NOW HAVING HER KID ALSO GOING THROUGH THAT SCHOOL, SEEING THE COVID CASES RISE AND THE CLOSURE, SHE CAN'T HELP BUT JUST BE WORRIED AND A LITTLE BIT NERVOUS.

>>SO MANY OPINIONS AND THOUGHTS.

AND I MEAN, THE BOTTOM LINE IS WHAT SHE WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT IS THE PEOPLE THAT WE'VE LOST, THE JANITOR OF THAT SCHOOL, THE ONE IN CHARGE OF CLEANING.

I MEAN, THAT'S TOUGH TO HEAR.

>>JUST AN INCREDIBLY STRESSFUL TIME FOR PARENTS ALL AROUND REALLY.

I MEAN, SO MANY PEOPLE GOING THROUGH SO MANY DIFFERENT EMOTIONS AND IT'S DIVIDING PEOPLE.

I THINK THAT'S THE DIFFICULT PART.

>>IT CERTAINLY IS, BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE ALL THESE STRONG THOUGHTS.

WE ALWAYS WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT YOU AT HOME CAN JOIN THIS CONVERSATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

WE ARE AT WUCF ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND INSTAGRAM, AND WE ALWAYS WANT TO HEAR FROM OUR VIEWERS.

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

MY THANKS TO ALEXA LORENZO FROM WFTV CHANNEL 9, AND NADEEN YANES FROM WKMG CHANNEL 6.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE WITH US THIS WEEK.

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.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.