>>THIS WEEK ON NEWSNIGHT, FLORIDA'S GOVERNOR DELIVERS HIS STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS, HIGHLIGHTING HIS RECORD AND AGENDA FOR THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

THE STATE EXPANDS THE QUALIFYING CRITERIA TO GET COVID-19 SHOTS AS THE ROLLOUT BEGINS OF JOHNSON AND JOHNSON'S ONE DOSE VACCINE.

AND HOW FLORIDA SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE TRYING TO LOCATE THE MISSING KIDS OF THE PANDEMIC.

NEWSNIGHT STARTS NOW.

♪ MUSIC ♪ >>HELLO.

I'M STEVE MORT.

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

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

SO JOINING US THIS WEEK, ARE MATTHEW PEDDIE OF 90.7 WMFE AND VERONICA ZARAGOVIA OF WLRN AND HEALTH NEWS FLORIDA.

THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

MY COLLEAGUE NANCY ALVAREZ IS TAKING SOME TIME OFF THIS WEEK.

WELL, FIRST TONIGHT, GOVERNOR DESANTIS DELIVERED HIS STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS THIS WEEK AS THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION KICKED OFF IN TALLAHASSEE.

GOVERNOR DESANTIS TOUCHED ON MANY OF THE ISSUES HE'S FOCUSED ON IN RECENT MONTHS, INCLUDING ANTI-RIGHT LEGISLATION, REFORMS TO VOTING IN FLORIDA, AND TARGETING BIG TECH.

HIS STEWARDSHIP OF FLORIDA'S PANDEMIC RESPONSES MADE HIM A FAVORITE AMONG CONSERVATIVES, FOR THE REPUBLICAN PARTY'S 2024 PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION.

>>I SEE, IN MANY PARTS OF OUR COUNTRY, A SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS.

SCHOOLS CLOSED, BUSINESSES SHUTTERED AND MILLIONS OF LIVES DESTROYED.

THIS CALAMITOUS REALITY IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF WHAT WILL LIKELY BE LONG-TERM DAMAGE TO CHILDREN, TO FAMILIES, AND TO SOCIETY.

SOW THE WIND, AND YOU REAP THE WHIRLWIND.

WHILE SO MANY OTHER STATES KEPT LOCKING PEOPLE DOWN OVER THESE MANY MONTHS, FLORIDA LIFTED PEOPLE UP.

>>DESPITE FACING A MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR BUDGET SHORTFALL, THE GOVERNOR SAYS HE WANTS TO FUND PRIORITIES, SUCH AS TEACHER PAY RAISES AND THE $1 BILLION RESILIENT FLORIDA PLAN TO MITIGATE THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE.

FLORIDA'S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE STANDS AT 6.1% JUST BELOW THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.

AND GOVERNOR DESANTIS SAYS THE ECONOMY AND REVENUES ARE DOING WELL ENOUGH THAT THE STATE CAN FUND THE SPENDING IT NEEDS.

>>WE'VE GOT A LOT MORE TO DO.

WE'VE GOT A LOT TO BE ABLE TO BUILD OFF OF, BUT I THINK IF WE WERE SITTING HERE 10 MONTHS AGO, PEOPLE WOULD ASSUMED OUR BUDGET WOULD BE IN SHAMBLES, OUR UNEMPLOYMENT RATE WOULD BE 10%.

WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE THE 6% REVISED DOWN FROM DECEMBER TO SOMEWHERE IN THE 5%.

>>BUT SOME OF THE GOVERNOR'S COLLEAGUES HAVE BOLTED HIS RECORD SETTING $96.6 BILLION BUDGET, WARNING CUTS WILL BE NEEDED.

AND DEMOCRATS NOW WORKING WITH A SMALLER MINORITY IN THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE AFTER THE LAST ELECTION HAVE HIT BACK AT THE GOVERNOR'S PRIORITIES.

>>HIS PRIORITIES REALLY WERE NOT THE PEOPLE'S PRIORITIES.

THE PEOPLE OF OUR STATE OF FLORIDA ARE STILL SUFFERING, ARE STILL WAITING IN LONG LINES FOR FOOD DISTRIBUTION.

AND SO UNFORTUNATELY BY PRIORITIZING BIG TECH COMPANIES, SOCIAL MEDIA, THAT'S NOT THE PRIORITIES OF THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA.

AND SO HE'S MISSED A BALL IN NOT TALKING AND NOT HAVING EMPATHY TOWARDS WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE IN OUR STATE.

>>DEMOCRATS SAY THE GOVERNOR'S IGNORING THE FINANCIAL CRUNCH FACED BY MANY FLORIDIANS AND THE LINGERING PROBLEMS WITH THE STATE'S UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS SYSTEM.

>>IF WE WORK ON ISSUES THAT ARE IMPACTING EVERYBODY ACROSS THE BOARD, THAT'S WHEN WE MAKE PROGRESS.

NOT BY DIVIDING OUR STATE BY HAVING PARTISAN BILLS THAT ARE ONLY SERVING A SMALL SECTOR OF OUR STATE.

>>ALL RIGHT.

WELL, THE GOVERNOR HITS ON A LOT OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM HIM IN RECENT MONTHS.

AS WE HEARD THERE, LET'S START WITH YOU, MATT, WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THIS SPEECH AND WHAT STOOD OUT TO YOU?

ANY SURPRISES?

>>I THINK WHAT STOOD OUT TO ME ABOUT THE SPEECH, STEVE WAS JUST HOW CLOSELY GOVERNOR DESANTIS KIND OF STUCK TO WHAT WE'VE BEEN HEARING FROM HIM PRETTY MUCH FOR THE LAST 12 MONTHS, OVER THE COURSE OF THE PANDEMIC.

HE'S, HE'S TAKEN THE ATTACK THAT LOCKING THINGS DOWN AS THE WRONG WAY TO GO.

HE'S BEEN FAIRLY HANDS OFF ABOUT ASKING COUNTIES TO IMPOSE RESTRICTIONS.

HE'S KIND OF LIFTED UP TO COUNTIES IN SOME REGARDS AS TO WHAT RESTRICTIONS THEY FOLLOW.

AND HE HIGHLIGHTED FLORIDA'S APPROACH SAYING, LOOK, BUSINESSES ARE DOING A LOT BETTER IN FLORIDA, TALKED ABOUT THE SCHOOLS AND THE NEED TO KEEP THOSE OPEN AND REALLY DRAWING A PRETTY SHARP CONTRAST BETWEEN WHAT THE STATE OF FLORIDA HAS DONE IN RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC AND WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN OTHER STATES, OF COURSE, WE HEARD IN THE PACKAGE TOO, MENTION SOME OF THOSE PIECES OF LEGISLATION, WHICH ARE PRETTY CONTROVERSIAL, INCLUDING THE BILL THAT FOCUSES ON A PROTEST.

AND, AND THERE'S A LOT OF OBJECTION TO THAT, ESPECIALLY FROM THE DEMOCRATS.

HE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT FLORIDIANS HAVE DIED WITH COVID-19, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS AN INTERESTING USE OF LANGUAGE RATHER THAN SAYING THAT DIED FROM IT.

AND OF COURSE, IT'S INTERESTING TO DRAW A DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE POLITICS OF WHAT WE'RE HEARING, A SPEECH LIKE THIS AND THE POLITICAL REALITY.

THAT'S GOING TO PLAY OUT OVER THE NEXT TWO MONTHS AS THEY WORK TO GET THIS BUDGET DONE.

>>FOR SURE.

HOW ABOUT YOU VERONICA?

ANYTHING STAND OUT TO YOU FROM THAT?

>>YEAH, HE ALSO, IN ADDITION TO THE POINTS THAT MATT MADE, HE ALSO HAD MENTIONED THE SENTIMENTS THAT TOWARDS FAMILIES WHO ARE NOT ABLE TO VISIT THEIR LOVED ONES IN HOSPITALS OR IN ASSISTED CARE FACILITIES, IT'S NOT SURPRISING THAT HE MENTIONED IT, BECAUSE HE DID SHOW EMOTION ABOUT IT DURING A PRESS CONFERENCE EARLIER ON DURING THE PANDEMIC, HE DID TALK ABOUT THE WAY, THE STATE HANDLED THE PATIENTS WHO HAD COVID-19, BUT WEREN'T READY TO GO BACK FROM THE HOSPITAL INTO A NURSING CARE FACILITY.

SOME FAMILIES FEEL THAT BY BRINGING PATIENTS WHO HAD COVID-19 AND HADN'T RECEIVED A FULL NEGATIVE TEST BEFORE THEY WENT TO RECOVER AT CERTAIN NURSING FACILITIES, THERE WAS AN ARRANGEMENT WITH THE STATE AND THAT CAUSED CONCERN AMONG A LOT OF FAMILIES THAT I'VE SPOKEN TO DURING THE PANDEMIC WHO FELT THAT THAT COULD HAVE BROUGHT A SPREAD OF THE CORONAVIRUS IN THESE FACILITIES.

SO I WAS LISTENING OUT FOR SOME OF THOSE POINTS THAT HE MADE.

>>YEAH.

AND OF COURSE, ALL OF THIS COMES AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF POLITICS.

DEMOCRATS ACCUSED THE GOVERNOR, MATT, OF SETTING AN AGENDA, DESIGNED TO IMPROVE HIS CHANCES IN A PRESIDENTIAL RACE.

HOW DO YOU THINK POLITICS IS DRIVING THE GOVERNOR'S AGENDA?

THIS SESSION?

IS IT DRIVING THE GOVERNOR'S AGENDA?

>>THERE'S NO DOUBT STEVE, THAT POLITICS IS DRIVING THE GOVERNOR'S AGENDA.

I MEAN, IT DRIVES EVERYTHING IN TALLAHASSEE, BUT AS I SAID EARLIER, THERE'S A COMPLEX KIND OF INTERPLAY OF POLITICS.

AND, AND I GUESS FISCAL REALITY, AND AS TO WHETHER WHAT WE HEARD FROM THE GOVERNOR AND THE STATE OF THE STATE WAS KIND OF A FORESHADOWING OF WHAT MAY BE A PRESIDENTIAL RUN.

THAT'LL KIND OF DEPENDS ON WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE REPUBLICAN PARTY WRIT LARGE.

AND WE SAW A LITTLE BIT OF THAT PLAYING OUT OVER THE WEEKEND WITH CPAC AND FORMER PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP, MAKING HIS FIRST APPEARANCE FIRST MAJOR PUBLIC APPEARANCE SINCE HE LEFT OFFICE.

AND THE QUESTION THERE IS, COULD HE RUN AGAIN?

AND WHILE THAT QUESTION IS UP IN THE AIR, THAT SORT OF PUTS OTHER PRESIDENTIAL AMBITIONS ON ICE.

THERE WAS A STRAW PULL, OF COURSE, AT THAT CONVENTION.

AND GOVERNOR DESANTIS CAME IN SECOND.

IN THAT STRAW PULL OF WHO, WHO ATTENDEES AT THAT CONFERENCE WOULD BE LIKELY TO VOTE FOR IN A PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY.

SO SOME ISSUES I GUESS, TO WORK THROUGH IN TERMS OF THE POLITICS THERE.

BUT AS I SAID EARLIER, THIS IS REALLY WHAT THE GOVERNOR AND THE LAWMAKERS IN TALLAHASSEE HAVE TO DO OVER THE NEXT TWO MONTHS IS FIGURING OUT THIS BUDGET IS A LITTLE BIT OF DAYLIGHT BETWEEN WHAT THE GOVERNOR WANTS AND WHAT SOME OF THE BUDGET LEADERS ARE GOING TO WANT AS WELL.

SO WE'LL JUST HAVE TO SEE HOW THAT PLAYS OUT.

>>WELL, LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT BUDGET, MATT, OF COURSE, DESANTIS IS FACING THE BUDGET CRUNCH, BUT HE SAYS THAT THAT $1.

TRILLION DOLLAR FEDERAL COVID PACKAGE, WHICH OF COURSE WOULD PROVIDE SOME FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LARGESSE TO FLORIDA WOULD DISADVANTAGE THE STATE SENATOR RUBIO SAYING HE WON'T SUPPORT IT EITHER.

WHAT ARE THEIR OBJECTIONS BRIEFLY?

>>IT'S INTERESTING LOOKING AT SENATOR RUBIO'S OBJECTIONS.

ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE HEARD FROM RUBIO IS THAT LOOK, JOE BIDEN HAS BEEN IN CONGRESS.

HE'S BEEN IN WASHINGTON LONG ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT THIS PACKAGE, THIS BUDGET REQUEST, THIS IS NOT GOING TO FLY.

AND WHAT WE HEARD FROM RUBIO WAS THAT THE THING TO DO TO PASS SOMETHING THAT CAN ACTUALLY GET MONEY IN THE POCKETS OF PEOPLE BEFORE GETTING THROUGH THIS, THIS, THIS REQUEST.

SO IT'S INTERESTING TO KIND OF REFLECT ON RUBIO'S OBJECTIONS.

THEY'RE SORT OF, I GUESS, PICKING AT THE FINE PRINT OF THIS AND SAYING THAT HE REALLY WANTS TO SEE A LITTLE BIT OF EXTRA MONEY IN THE POCKETS OF AMERICANS WHO ARE SUFFERING THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC.

AND WE'RE HEARING IT A LITTLE BIT OF THAT FROM GOVERNOR DESANTIS AS WELL.

>>YEAH, OF COURSE.

SENATOR RUBIO HAS COMPLAINED ABOUT WHAT HE SEES AS EXTRENUOUS SPENDING.

AND GOVERNOR DESANTIS HAS REFLECTED THAT ALSO SAYING THAT FLORIDA PROPORTIONATELY IS DISADVANTAGED AND TOO MUCH MONEY IS GOING TO STATES THAT HAVEN'T DONE AS WELL, ECONOMICALLY LIKE NEW YORK AND CALIFORNIA.

WELL, YOU CAN FIND A LINK TO THE TEXT OF THE FULL STATE OF THE STATE SPEECH ON OUR WEBSITE AND BE SURE TO JOIN THE CONVERSATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA AS WELL, WE'RE AT WUCF TV ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND INSTAGRAM, WE ALWAYS LIKE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS.

ALL RIGHT, NEXT TONIGHT AMONG THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS, THE GOVERNOR HAIL THIS WEEK, HIS DECISION TO REOPEN SCHOOLS IN AUGUST LAST YEAR.

>>THE CONSEQUENCES OF SHUTTING KIDS OUT OF SCHOOL FOR A YEAR, A YEAR AND A HALF, AND HECK IN SOME PLACES, IT WILL LIKELY BE TWO YEARS.

THOSE CONSEQUENCES WILL BE CATASTROPHIC AND LONG LASTING.

THE FAILURE OF SO MANY PLACES OUTSIDE OF FLORIDA TO OPEN SCHOOLS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR WILL GO DOWN AS ONE OF THE BIGGEST POLICY BLUNDERS OF OUR TIME.

>>THIS WEEK, GOVERNOR DESANTIS SIGNED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER, ALLOWING K THROUGH 12 TEACHERS ALONG WITH POLICE AND FIREFIGHTERS 50 AND OVER TO GET VACCINATED AS FOUR NEW FEDERAL FACILITIES, INCLUDING ONE AT VALENCIA'S WEST CAMPUS OPENED IN FLORIDA, ACCORDING TO AN EXECUTIVE ORDER.

THE FOLLOWING GROUPS NOW QUALIFY FOR VACCINATION LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY RESIDENTS AND STAFF, PERSONS 65 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER HEALTHCARE PERSONNEL WITH DIRECT PATIENT CONTACT , K THROUGH 12 SCHOOL EMPLOYEES, 50 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER, SWORN LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, 50 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER, AND FIREFIGHTERS ALSO 50 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER ON THURSDAY, MAJOR PHARMACY RETAILERS IN FLORIDA EXPANDED VACCINES TO ALL TEACHERS AND SCHOOL STAFF, REGARDLESS OF AGE.

THE MOVE MATCHES A DIRECTOR FROM THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION.

I ASKED THE TEACHERS UNION IN ORANGE COUNTY ABOUT THAT, AND THE RECENT POLL OF MEMBERS SHOWING CONTINUED FRUSTRATIONS OVER SAFETY.

>>THERE ISN'T POSSIBILITY FOR THE SIX FOOT RECOMMENDED SOCIAL DISTANCING IN MOST OF THE IN FACE CLASSROOMS.

SO WE BELIEVE THAT EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL EMPLOYEE THAT'S REQUIRED TO BE FACE-TO-FACE AS THE GOVERNOR DID REQUIRE SHOULD CERTAINLY BE VACCINATED.

>>THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE REOPENING OF SCHOOLS.

CDC DATA SEEMS TO SUGGEST THAT TRANSMISSION IS NOT HIGH IN MANY SCHOOLS.

WHAT ARE YOUR REMAINING CONCERNS ABOUT REOPENING?

>>JOE BIDEN SAID THAT HE WANTS TO REOPEN SCHOOLS, BUT HE ALSO SAID HE WANTS TO REOPEN THEM IN A SAFE WAY.

WE DON'T HAVE THAT IN FLORIDA.

WE RECENTLY PUT OUT A SURVEY TO OUR CTA MEMBERS, A QUARTER OF THE CTA MEMBERS RESPONDED AND A 78% SAID THEY DON'T FEEL THERE'S TRANSPARENCY IN THE REPORTING OF THE COVID CASES IN QUARANTINES.

SO WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT FOLLOWING CDC GUIDELINES, AS SCHOOLS ARE OPEN.

>>THE GOVERNOR HAS CALLED THOSE CDC GUIDELINES ON REOPENING SCHOOLS, A DISGRACE.

THE FEELING SEEMS TO BE THAT THERE ISN'T ENOUGH FLEXIBILITY IN THOSE RULES.

AND OF COURSE, DR. FAUCI, AS WELL SAYS, HE DOESN'T BELIEVE THAT VACCINATING ALL TEACHERS IS SORT OF A PRACTICAL POSITION WHEN IT COMES TO REOPENING SCHOOLS.

WHAT'S YOUR REACTION?

>>I THINK THAT THE COMMISSIONER AND THE GOVERNOR ARE THE DISGRACE, NOT THE CDC.

I THINK IT'S DISGRACEFUL TO PUT EMPLOYEES AND STUDENTS AND FAMILIES AT RISK TEACHERS WITH SERIOUS ILLNESSES HAVE RETURNED TO FACE TO FACE CLASSES.

SO I THINK PUTTING ECONOMICS BEFORE HEALTH AND SAFETY AND HUMANITY IS A DISGRACE.

>>MEANWHILE, PEOPLE UNDER 65 WITH CERTAIN PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS WILL NOW ALSO QUALIFY FOR VACCINATION.

THE GOVERNOR'S ORDER SAYS PHYSICIANS AND HOSPITAL PROVIDERS HAVE DISCRETION TO DETERMINE IF SOMEONE IS QUOTE EXTREMELY VULNERABLE AND IT EXPANDS THE LOCATIONS WHERE UNDER 65S CAN RECEIVE A VACCINATION TO INCLUDE PHARMACIES AND THE NEW FEDERAL SITES.

BUT CRITICS SAY THE MOVE HAS BEEN MARKED BY CONFUSION.

>>THE POOR COMMUNICATION THAT THE GOVERNOR CONSISTENTLY PUTS OUT ON VACCINES AND ON COVID RELATED ISSUES HAS GOTTEN IN THE WAY OF THIS PROGRESS.

YOU KNOW, HE BASICALLY QUIETLY ISSUED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER, EXPANDING THE NUMBER OF PROVIDERS FOR MEDICALLY VULNERABLE UNDER 65, LATE ON A FRIDAY NIGHT, WITHOUT ANY OFFICIAL STATEMENT OR PRESS RELEASE, EXPLAINING THE CHANGE SINCE IT WAS IMPLEMENTED, IT'S BEEN A BIT CHAOTIC AS FAR AS WHAT DOCUMENTATION IS GOING TO BE REQUIRED IN ORDER TO PROVE THAT YOU'RE MEDICALLY VULNERABLE UNDER 65.

AT FIRST, IT APPEARED THAT IT WAS ONLY GOING TO REQUIRE A DOCTOR'S NOTE TO PROVE YOU'RE MEDICALLY VULNERABLE YOUNGER THAN 65 TO GET THE VACCINE.

THEN PUBLIX SAID THAT THEY WERE NOT ASKING FOR ANY DOCUMENTATION.

AND THEN THE GOVERNOR ISSUED A HASTILY WRITTEN EXECUTIVE ORDER AT THE 11TH HOUR.

AGAIN, THAT SAID A NEW FORM FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH WOULD BE REQUIRED TO PROVE MEDICAL ELIGIBILITY.

AND YET WE STILL DIDN'T EVEN SEE THAT FORM UNTIL HALFWAY THROUGH THE WEEK.

SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S GOOD THAT WE EXPANDED ACCESS FOR MEDICALLY VULNERABLE PEOPLE UNDER 65 TO GET THE VACCINE, BUT THE POOR COMMUNICATION THAT CONTINUES TO COME OUT OF GOVERNOR DESANTIS' OFFICE THAT CREATES SO MUCH CHAOS AND CONFUSION, AND ACTUALLY STOPS PEOPLE FROM BEING ABLE TO ACCESS A LIFE-SAVING VACCINE CONTINUES TO BE A PROBLEM.

>>ALL RIGHT, VERONICA, LET'S TALK ABOUT THOSE EXTREME RISK GROUPS.

TALK US THROUGH, IF YOU CAN, WHO QUALIFIES TO GET VACCINATED IN THAT GROUP AND SORT OF WHAT KIND OF DOCUMENTATION THEY NEED.

>>IT'S INTERESTING, STEVE, THAT AT FIRST, THE HOSPITALS WERE CHOOSING THE LIST OF UNDERLYING CONDITIONS THAT PATIENTS HAD TO HAVE IN ORDER TO COME AND GET A VACCINE IF THEY WERE UNDER 65 YEARS OF AGE.

BUT THERE WAS A FORM THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH HAS PUT OUT.

ACTUALLY, THEY ALSO PUT OUT THIS FORM PRETTY LATE, EARLIER THIS WEEK OUT ON TWITTER, AND NOW IT'S BEING DISSEMINATED.

AND IT'S A FORM THAT A DOCTOR HAS TO FILL OUT TO CONFIRM THAT A PATIENT THAT THAT PHYSICIAN DEEMS THIS PERSON VERY MUCH AT RISK.

IT'S A LITTLE VAGUE WHAT EXACTLY AT RISK.

THEY MEAN IF IT'S AT THEIR, AT RISK AT DEVELOPING SEVERE COMPLICATIONS DUE TO COVID-19, BUT THAT THEY'RE DEEMED VERY VULNERABLE TO THIS DISEASE.

AND SO THE PHYSICIAN WOULD PUT THEIR LICENSE NUMBER AND A FEW OTHER DETAILS AND THEIR SIGNATURE OF COURSE, AND CONFIRM THAT THIS PATIENT SHOULD GET PRIORITIZED.

AND THEN THEY BRING IT TO THE STATE FACILITIES AT COUNTY FEDERAL FACILITIES AND THE PHARMACIES, AND THEY CAN GET VACCINATED.

>>YEAH.

AND THE FEDERAL VACCINATION SITES, VERONICA OPENED THIS WEEK, AS WELL AS SATELLITE LOCATIONS IN UNDERSERVED AREAS WHO CAN GET VACCINATED AT THOSE LOCATIONS.

DO WE KNOW?

AND CAN PEOPLE GET APPOINTMENTS THERE OR IS IT JUST WALK UP FIRST, COME FIRST SERVED?

>>THOSE ARE FOR THE MOST PART THEY'RE WALK-UPS.

SO WHILE YOU CAN PUT YOURSELF ON THE STATE'S WAITING LISTS AND THEY MIGHT DIRECT YOU TO GO TO ONE OF THESE FACILITIES, THEY'RE OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK AND YOU CAN WALK UP.

AND THESE ALSO INCLUDE LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIREFIGHTERS AND TEACHERS WHO ARE AGE 50 AND OLDER.

AND ALSO OF COURSE, FRONTLINE MEDICAL WORKERS, LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY AND STAFF.

AND FOR WHICHEVER REASON, THEY HAVEN'T YET BEEN VACCINATED.

AND, AND I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT WHEN IT COMES TO THE STAFF OF K THROUGH 12 SCHOOLS, THAT ACTUALLY ALSO INCLUDES PEOPLE WHO OPERATE BUSES, CUSTODIAN, AND CAFETERIA STAFF.

SO IT'S ANYBODY WHO WOULD BE IN CONTACT WITH CHILDREN IN THE K THROUGH 12 EDUCATION SYSTEM.

AND I ASKED THE STATE'S EMERGENCY DIVISION, HOW THEY CHOOSE WHERE THESE SITES HAVE BEEN.

AND THEY LOOK AT CENSUS DATA, THEY LOOK INTO SEE IF OTHER POINTS OF DISTRIBUTION OF THE VACCINES ARE NEARBY.

AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE LOOKING TO PUT THEM IN PLACES WHERE THOSE VACCINATION RATES ARE LAGGING.

>>YEAH.

MATT, LET'S TAKE A, LET'S LOOK AT THE JOHNSON AND JOHNSON VACCINE, FLORIDA GOT ITS FIRST SHIPMENT OF THAT VACCINE THIS WEEK.

DO WE KNOW HOW THE STATE WANTS TO USE THOSE DOSES AND HOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE DISTRIBUTED?

>>YEAH, THERE'S ABOUT 175,000 DOSES EXPECTED TO ARRIVE IN FLORIDA BY THE END OF THE WEEK.

AND YOU KNOW, WE HEARD A LITTLE BIT OF THAT FROM DESANTIS.

HE SAID THAT THE SHOTS, THOSE ARE GOING TO BE USED TO VACCINATE POLICE OFFICERS, FIREFIGHTERS, AND THEN TEACHERS AND CLASSROOM PERSONNEL WHO WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT VERONICA WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT THOSE 50 AND UP AT THOSE VACCINATION PODS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

YOU KNOW, THE THING ABOUT THIS VACCINE OF COURSE, IS IT WAS APPROVED BY THE FDA JUST LAST WEEKEND AND IT'S A SINGLE SHOT, YOU KNOW, DOSE OF THE VACCINE.

SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT PEOPLE HAVING TO COME BACK IN THREE WEEKS TO GET AN EXTRA SHOT OF IT.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE ARE SEEING, I THINK IT'S GOOD NEWS OBVIOUSLY FOR, FOR THE STATE OF FLORIDA, BECAUSE IT IS EXPANDING A LITTLE BIT, THE, THE POOL OF PEOPLE WHO CAN GET VACCINATED AND WE'RE GOING TO SEE THOSE VACCINATIONS, RIGHT?

JUST AS SOON AS THOSE, THOSE SHOTS ARE AVAILABLE.

AS I SAID TO, YOU KNOW, FOLKS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, PEOPLE ARE HAVING CONTACT WITH PEOPLE ON A PRETTY REGULAR BASIS.

>>AND OF COURSE, MATT, FLORIDA IS ONE OF THE ONLY STATES WITHOUT A FIRM PLAN FOR VACCINATION PRIORITIZATION.

DO WE KNOW HOW THESE DECISIONS ABOUT WHO GETS PRIORITY?

WHO'S NEXT IN LINE, WHO SHOULD GO TO CERTAIN SITES?

DO WE KNOW HOW THOSE DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE IN FLORIDA?

>>WE DON'T ACTUALLY KNOW A HUGE AMOUNT ABOUT IT.

AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE GOVERNOR AND HIS ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN CRITICIZED PRETTY SOUNDLY BY DEMOCRATS ON THIS VACCINE DISTRIBUTION PLAN FOLKS WHO SAID, LOOK, THERE ISN'T REALLY A LOT OF STRUCTURE TO THIS.

AND HE'S BEEN CRITICIZED FOR SHOWING FAVORITISM IN TERMS OF WHERE SOME OF THOSE SITES HAVE SPRUNG UP IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, BUT HE'S DEFENDED AT.

AND HE SAID, ESSENTIALLY, LAST MONTH HE SAID THAT THE STATE OF FLORIDA IS ACTUALLY DOING BETTER BECAUSE IT DOESN'T HAVE A STRUCTURED PLAN AND THAT'S WORKING IN HIS FAVOR BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE TO KEEP CHOPPING AND CHANGING.

IT'S A LITTLE BIT MURKY AS TO EXACTLY HOW THOSE DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE.

AND PEOPLE ARE, AS I SAID, HAVE BEEN CRITICIZING HIM FOR PLAYING POLITICS IN THAT.

BUT YOU KNOW, THIS ALL MIGHT BE MOOT IN A FEW WEEKS, I GUESS, AS MORE VACCINE BECOMES AVAILABLE.

AND YOU KNOW, MORE PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO GET A CHANCE TO GET A SHOT IF THEY NEED IT.

>>YEAH.

AND YOU CAN FIND A LINK TO THE GOVERNOR'S EXECUTIVE ORDER ON VACCINE ELIGIBILITY ON OUR WEBSITE.

IT'S AT WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

AND WHILE YOU'RE THERE, YOU'LL ALSO FIND REPRESENTATIVE CARLOS GUILLERMO SMITH'S RESPONSE TO THE STATE OF THE STATE AS WELL.

ALL RIGHT.

FINALLY, TONIGHT, THE LATEST IN OUR SERIES OF STORIES AS PART OF THE CLASS OF COVID-19 THE COLLABORATION OF PUBLIC MEDIA STATIONS THROUGHOUT FLORIDA, INCLUDING WUCF.

STATE FIGURES SHOW SOME 90,000 CHILDREN NEVER SHOWED UP FOR SCHOOL THIS YEAR DURING THE PANDEMIC, THE SPEAKER OF THE FLORIDA HOUSE HAS URGED DISTRICTS TO FIND THE SO-CALLED MISSING KIDS WARNING LOWER ENROLLMENT.

WILL MEAN SMALLER BUDGETS FOR DISTRICTS IN THE 2021 TO 22 SCHOOL YEAR?

WELL, OUR GUEST THIS WEEK, VERONICA ZARAGOVIA FILED THIS REPORT FROM FLORIDA SECOND LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT.

>>MY NAME IS LILIA FRANCOIS.

I'M A SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER FOR BROWARD SCHOOLS.

>>SHE'S PART OF A TEAM OF SOCIAL WORKERS, SCHOOL PRINCIPALS, TEACHERS, AND SUPPORT STAFF TRYING TO FIND AND RE-ENGAGE THE DISTRICTS LOST STUDENTS.

WHEN THEIR CALLS AND MESSAGES GO UNANSWERED, FRANCOIS GETS IN THE CAR.

>>WE HAVE TO GO OUT TO THE HOME AND SEE IF THEY STILL LIVE WHERE THEY LIVE AND SEE WHAT ARE THE BARRIERS THAT'S CAUSING THEM.

NOT TO EITHER COME TO SCHOOL IN PERSON OR ENGAGE IN E-LEARNING.

ON THIS DAY, FRANCOIS IS OFF TO MEET MARIA AND HER DAUGHTER MARJORIE.

SHE HASN'T BEEN TO CLASS IN PERSON OR ONLINE SINCE LAST MARCH.

WE'RE NOT USING THEIR LAST NAMES TO PROTECT THE FAMILY'S PRIVACY.

[SPEAKING IN SPANISH] >>MARIA HAS BEEN STRUGGLING TO FIND A STABLE JOB AND HOUSING.

FRANCOISE ACTUALLY WENT TO A DIFFERENT HOUSE FIRST ONLY TO FIND OUT THE FAMILY NO LONGER LIVE THERE.

MARIA'S DAUGHTER MARJORIE SHOULD BE IN 10TH GRADE AT HER BROWARD COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL.

[SPEAKING SPANISH] >>MARIA SAYS MARJORIE HASN'T HAD CONSISTENT ACCESS TO THE INTERNET OR A LAPTOP.

THAT'S WHERE I COME IN AND BRING THE COMPUTER.

I GAVE THE DAUGHTER THE COMPUTER.

STANDING IN THE DOORWAY OF THE FAMILY'S HOME, THEY GO OVER MARJORIE'S CLASS SCHEDULE AND HOW TO USE THE ONLINE LEARNING SYSTEM.

>>IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THAT, WE HAVE A LOT OF CLUBS AND THEY'RE DOING THINGS ONLINE.

SO YOU STILL CAN PARTICIPATE IN AFTERSCHOOL ACTIVITIES WHILE YOU'RE HOME.

OKAY?

>>ONCE FRANCOIS GIVES MARJORIE ALL THE TECHNICAL THINGS SHE NEEDS, SHE ADDS A PEP-TALK.

>>YOU'RE STARTING FRESH, WHATEVER HAPPENED LAST QUARTER SINCE MARCH TODAY IS A BRIGHT DAY FOR YOU.

OKAY?

AND WE'RE HERE.

YOU SEE ALL OF THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN YOUR CORNER AND THEY WANT YOU TO SUCCEED.

OKAY?

>>MARJORIE SEEMS HOPEFUL.

>>IT'S EXCITING BECAUSE I COULD START SCHOOL AGAIN, FINISH HIGH SCHOOL.

>>MOM HAS MY NUMBER, TEXT ME.

DOESN'T MATTER.

OK?

>>AS SHE HEADS BACK TO THE SCHOOL WHERE SHE WORKS, FRANCOISE SAYS THIS WAS AN EXTREME CASE.

THAT HAS NOT BEEN THE SITUATION WHERE KIDS HAVE NOT LOGGED IN SINCE MARCH.

WE'RE NOT SURE WHERE THE BREAKDOWN HAPPENED.

>>SHE SAYS HER JOB ISN'T DONE UNTIL MARJORIE AND STUDENTS LIKE HER ARE ATTENDING CLASSES REGULARLY.

>>YES, I WILL BE CHECKING IN.

I WILL BE CHECKING IN ELECTRONICALLY AND AS WELL, MAKING HOME VISITS BECAUSE SHE SAID SHE WANTED TO START THE E-LEARNING FIRST AND THEN PERHAPS RETURN TO IN PERSON.

SHE'S MISSED A LOT OF SCHOOL SO SHE'S ONE OF THOSE THAT WE'RE GOING TO PUT SO MUCH SERVICES.

HOPEFULLY SOMETHING STICKS.

>>IN EARLY FEBRUARY.

FRANCOIS CONFIRMED THAT MARJORIE IS NOW ENROLLED IN A CHARTER SCHOOL THAT INCLUDES ONE-ON-ONE INSTRUCTION AND VOCATIONAL SKILLS TRAINING.

I AM VERONICA ZARAGOVIA IN FORT LAUDERDALE.

>>ALL RIGHT, VERONICA, IN THAT STORY, THE FAMILY YOU VISITED WITH HAD ISSUES WITH COMPUTER ACCESS, IS THAT A TYPICAL PROBLEM FOR CHILDREN WHO HAVE BEEN ABSENT FROM SCHOOL?

>>YEAH, IT'S, IT'S MORE SO AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC, AS SCHOOL DISTRICTS WERE ORGANIZING OPPORTUNITIES FOR FAMILIES TO COME PICK UP LAPTOPS.

AND THERE'S ALSO BEEN ISSUES WITH AFFORDABILITY AROUND INTERNET.

BUT AS FRANCOIS EXPLAINED TO ME AT THIS POINT IN THE PANDEMIC, THEY HAVE MADE MANY ATTEMPTS TO COMMUNICATE IN VARIOUS LANGUAGES WITH FAMILIES TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE A LAPTOP AND SO IN THIS CASE, THIS EXTREME, UNUSUAL CASE, THEN THE SOCIAL WORKER WENT OUT TO THE HOME AND BROUGHT THE LAPTOP TO MAKE SURE THAT THE STUDENT COULD REENGAGE IN SCHOOL.

>>YEAH.

AND THE STATE SAYS ENROLLMENT IS DOWN STATEWIDE, ABOUT 90,000.

ARE ALL THOSE STUDENTS MISSING SCHOOL OR COULD THEY HAVE JUST LEFT THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM?

DO WE KNOW WHERE THEY ARE?

>>YOU'RE RIGHT.

NOT ALL OF THEM SIMPLY STOPPED GOING TO SCHOOL.

SOME OF THEM DID HAVE SWITCHED OVER TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS OR A NUMBER OF THEM WHO HAVE CHOSEN INSTEAD TO DO HOMESCHOOL.

I AM AWARE OF SOMETIMES THE PARENTS ARE DOING COLLABORATIVE HOMESCHOOLING WHERE THEY'RE TEAMING UP WITH OTHER PARENTS AND PUTTING SOME STUDENTS TOGETHER.

SOME STUDENTS HAVE LEFT TO OTHER STATES AND ARE NOW STUDYING IN OTHER DISTRICTS.

AND SO IT'S A COMBINATION OF MANY FACTORS.

>>WELL, YOU CAN FIND MUCH MORE COVERAGE OF THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE AT THECLASSOFCOVID.ORG.

AND THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE THIS WEEK.

MY THANKS TO MATTHEW PEDDIE OF 90.7 WMFE AND VERONICA ZARAGOVIA OF WLRN AND HEALTH NEWS, FLORIDA.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT FRIDAY NIGHT AT 8:30 HERE ON WUCF FROM ALL OF US HERE AT NEWSNIGHT, TAKE CARE AND HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.