>>THIS WEEK ON NEWSNIGHT, FLORIDA SETS A NEW RECORD FOR COVID 19 HOSPITALIZATIONS AS GOVERNOR DESANTIS ACCUSES THE MEDIA OF HYSTERIA.

DISNEY MANDATES VACCINES FOR SOME OF ITS STAFF AND OTHER BUSINESSES RE-INSTATE MASK MANDATES, AS CASES CONTINUE TO CLIMB.

AND WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT LOW VACCINATION RATES AMONG HEALTHCARE WORKERS.

NEWSNIGHT STARTS NOW.

♪ MUSIC ♪ >>HELLO.

I'M STEVE MORT, AND WELCOME TO NEWS NIGHT WHERE WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE BIG STORIES IMPACTING CENTRAL FLORIDA AND HOW THEY AFFECT YOU.

WE DO THIS EACH 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, LAUREN SEABROOK OF WFTV CHANNEL NINE.

AND IN THE STUDIO WITH ME, AMY GREEN OF 90.7 WMFE.

THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

NANCY ALVAREZ WILL BE BACK NEXT WEEK.

ALL RIGHT, FIRST, TONIGHT, THE SURGE IN COVID 19 CASES IN CENTRAL FLORIDA AS LOCAL HEALTH OFFICIALS PREDICT AN INCREASE IN DEATHS TO COME.

THE STATE SET A NEW RECORD FOR COVID 19 HOSPITALIZATIONS THIS WEEK.

NEW TESTING CAPACITY OPENED THIS WEEK IN ORANGE COUNTY AS DEMAND GROWS AMID THE LATEST SPIKE IN INFECTIONS.

ADVENT HEALTH SAYS 40% OF INPATIENT ADMISSIONS IN ITS CENTRAL FLORIDA HOSPITALS ARE COVID-19 RELATED.

>>THE STAFF ARE STRETCHED.

FLORIDA IS AN EPICENTER CLEARLY FOR WHAT'S GOING ON.

THE DELTA VARIANT BEHAVES IN WAYS THAT WERE UNLIKE THE OTHER VARIANTS.

AND SO THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH.

>>ADVENT IS ONE OF THE HOSPITAL OPERATORS CHANGING ITS POLICIES TO COPE WITH THE SURGE THIS WEEK.

IT CHANGED ITS VISITATION POLICIES TO ALLOW ONLY VIRTUAL VISITS FOR COVID POSITIVE PATIENTS, AND REDUCED ACCESS FOR VISITORS TO NON COVID PATIENTS, AND HAD ALREADY MOVED TO WHAT IT CALLED BLACK STATUS, DEFERRING ALL NONEMERGENCY SURGERIES.

THE ORANGE COUNTY ECONOMIC RECOVERY TASK FORCE RECONVENED THIS WEEK TO DISCUSS HOW BUSINESSES COULD BOOST SAFETY AND VACCINATION RATES.

IT COMES AFTER DISNEY SAID IT WOULD MANDATE VACCINES FOR SOME OF ITS STAFF.

>>ALTHOUGH NOTHING ABOUT THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF HAS BEEN EASY, I WOULD SAY SOME OF THESE DECISIONS HAVE BEEN EASIER BY US STAYING WITH OUR CORE VALUES OF SAFETY FIRST.

AND WANTING TO ENSURE THAT BOTH OUR CAST AND OUR GUESTS STAY AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE.

>>MAYOR JERRY DEMINGS ADMITS HIS HANDS ARE TIED BY A STATE GOVERNMENT OPPOSED TO MASK MANDATES.

BARTEE'S IMPOSED A VACCINE MANDATE ON COUNTY GOVERNMENT WORKERS, TRIGGERING PROTESTS THIS WEEK.

MEANWHILE, THE NINTH CIRCUIT IN ORANGE AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES WILL RESUME ITS MASK REQUIREMENTS.

IT ALL COMES AS MANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS PREPARE TO RESUME CLASSES NEXT WEEK.

ORANGE COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT BARBARA JENKINS SAYS ONLY 40% OF SCHOOL STAFF ARE FULLY VACCINATED.

THE COUNTY'S DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SAYS ABOUT 40% OF CHILDREN, AGE 12 TO 17, ARE NOW VACCINATED AS WELL.

GOVERNOR DESANTIS SIGNED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER, ALLOWING PARENTS TO IGNORE LOCAL MASK MANDATES FOR STUDENTS AND THREATENING TO WITHHOLD FUNDING FROM DISTRICTS THAT REQUIRE FACIAL COVERINGS.

IT'S PROMPTED THE WHITE HOUSE TO HIT OUT AT THE GOVERNOR'S HANDLING OF THE CRISIS.

>>20% OF THE CASES WE'RE SEEING ARE IN FLORIDA.

THERE ARE STEPS AND PRECAUTIONS THAT CAN BE TAKEN, INCLUDING ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO GET VACCINATED, ENCOURAGING PEOPLE, TO WEAR MASKS, INCLUDING ALLOWING SCHOOLS TO MANDATE MASKS AND ALLOWING KIDS TO WEAR MASKS, WHICH IS NOT THE CURRENT STATE OF PLAY IN FLORIDA.

SO AT A CERTAIN POINT, LEADERS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO CHOOSE WHETHER THEY'RE GOING TO FOLLOW PUBLIC HEALTH GUIDELINES OR WHETHER THEY'RE GOING TO FOLLOW POLITICS.

AND WE CERTAINLY ENCOURAGE ALL GOVERNORS TO FOLLOW THE PUBLIC HEALTH GUIDELINES.

GO AHEAD.

>>BUT DESANTIS'S TEAM HAS IN TURN ACCUSED THE WHITE HOUSE OF PLAYING POLITICS WITH THE PANDEMIC.

IN AN EMAIL STATEMENT TO WUCF, THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE SAID THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY SHOULD GET HER FACTS STRAIGHT BEFORE CRITICIZING FLORIDA.

THE FACT IS THAT GOVERNOR DESANTIS HAS CONSISTENTLY ENCOURAGED FLORIDIANS TO GET VACCINATED AND CHILDREN IN FLORIDA ARE ALLOWED TO WEAR MASKS IF THEY AND THEIR PARENTS MAKE THAT CHOICE.

AND THIS WEEK, DESANTIS HIMSELF PREDICTED THE SPIKE WILL BE SHORT-LIVED, SAID THE MEDIA WAS WHIPPING UP HYSTERIA OVER HOSPITALIZATIONS, WHICH HE CALLED SEASONAL, AND ACCUSED REPORTERS OF BEING JUDGMENTAL OF UNVACCINATED PEOPLE WHO BECOME INFECTED.

>>ALL RIGHT, LAUREN, A LOT TO BREAK DOWN HERE.

THE GOVERNOR SAYS THAT THIS IS HYSTERIA AND THAT ER VISITS FOR COVID LIKE ILLNESSES ARE PLATEAUING.

DEATHS ARE MUCH LOWER THAN IN PREVIOUS SPIKES.

DOES THAT TRACK WITH WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM HOSPITAL OPERATORS THIS WEEK IN TERMS OF ADMISSIONS, CAPACITY, THAT KIND OF THING?

>>NOT REALLY, STEVE.

I ACTUALLY WAS JUST CHECKING IN WITH ADVENT HEALTH.

THEY HAVE OVER 1300 PEOPLE IN THEIR HOSPITAL RIGHT NOW WITH COVID-19 AND THAT IS AT THE VERY TOP OF ANY PEAK THAT WE'VE HAD PREVIOUSLY.

I THINK THE HIGHEST THEY GOT WAS JUST ABOVE THAT EARLIER THIS WEEK, BUT ANYTHING OVER A THOUSAND PEOPLE CURRENTLY IN THE HOSPITAL WITH COVID-19 IS WAY MORE THAN THEY'VE HANDLED THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE TIME.

AND THEY CONTINUE TO TELL US THAT THEY DON'T SEE AN END IN SIGHT.

THEY DON'T THINK THAT WE'VE PEAKED YET IN THIS WAVE.

>>YOU GOT A PRETTY DETAILED PICTURE OF THE PANDEMIC LOCALLY FROM THAT TASK FORCE GATHERING ON MONDAY.

IS THERE ANY INDICATION THAT COMPANIES MIGHT BE FOLLOWING DISNEY ON VACCINATION, MASKS, THAT KIND OF THING?

>>I THINK WE WILL SEE THAT.

SOME OF THE COMPANY LEADERS WHO WERE THERE IN THE ROOM WITH US WERE ASKING DISNEY QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.

THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE INCENTIVES THAT THEY COULD POSSIBLY OFFER THEIR EMPLOYEES AT FIRST TO SEE HOW MUCH RESPONSE THEY MAY GET.

BUT WE ALSO HEARD ALEX MARTIN WITH THE ORLANDO MAGIC STEP UP AND SAY THANK YOU TO DISNEY FOR SORT OF LEADING THE WAY ON THIS AND MAKING IT EASIER FOR OTHER COMPANIES TO FOLLOW SUIT.

>>YEAH, IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE IF OTHERS DO FOLLOW SUIT.

AMY, LET'S TALK ABOUT SCHOOLS A MOMENT.

FLORIDA LEADS THE NATION ON PEDIATRIC INFECTIONS AT THE MOMENT.

WHAT ARE THE NUMBERS AHEAD OF THE RESUMPTION OF CLASSES, WHICH ARE COMING UP REALLY SOON IN A LOT OF PARTS OF OUR REGION AND HOW ARE PARENTS FEELING?

>>WELL, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A VERY UNSETTLING TREND GOING INTO THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR IN ORANGE COUNTY.

THE SCHOOL YEAR STARTS ON TUESDAY.

AND AS YOU SAID, PEDIATRIC HOSPITALIZATIONS IN FLORIDA LEADS THE NATION IN PEDIATRIC HOSPITALIZATIONS.

VACCINATIONS OF COURSE ARE NOT AVAILABLE FOR CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 12 AT THIS POINT.

ALTHOUGH OF COURSE CHILDREN HAVE MUCH FEWER COMPLICATIONS FROM COVID-19 THAN ADULTS DO.

AND SO PARENTS ARE VERY, VERY CONCERNED.

THIS PARENT IS VERY CONCERNED.

YOU'RE SEEING PARENTS OPT FOR PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND CHARTER SCHOOLS, WHICH DO NOT FALL UNDER THE DESANTIS ADMINISTRATIONS STANCE ON MASK MANDATES, AND ARE ABLE TO MANDATE MASKS IN SCHOOLS.

YOU'RE SEEING PARENTS OPT AGAIN FOR VIRTUAL SCHOOL.

IN OUR HOUSEHOLD, MY DAUGHTER IS GOING TO BE STARTING SECOND GRADE IN ORANGE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS ON TUESDAY.

WE'RE GOING TO BE WEARING A MASK.

>>AND OF COURSE THE VIRTUAL SCHOOLS THAT ARE OFFERED BY THE INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE, BUT YOU CAN ENROLL IN THE FLORIDA VIRTUAL SCHOOL ITSELF.

>>THE VIRTUAL SCHOOLS THIS SCHOOL YEAR WILL BE FEWER THAN WHAT WE HAD THE LAST SCHOOL YEAR.

PARENTS WILL BE ABLE TO ENROLL KIDS IN THE VIRTUAL SCHOOL, WHICH IS A SCHOOL THAT PREEXISTS THE PANDEMIC, BUT HYBRID OPTIONS THAT WERE AVAILABLE LAST YEAR ARE NOT AVAILABLE THIS YEAR.

>>LAUREN, LET ME COME BACK TO YOU.

ORANGE COUNTY SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT BARBARA JENKINS THIS WEEK ANNOUNCED A MASK MANDATE FOR STAFF, BUT NOT STUDENTS.

SOME COUNTIES ARE TESTING THE WATERS ON MASK MANDATES DESPITE THE GOVERNOR'S EXECUTIVE ORDER, BUT HE SEEMS PRETTY DETERMINED TO STICK TO THAT PARENTAL CHOICE LINE.

>>ABSOLUTELY.

AND HE FEELS LIKE THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS STATE WHO WANT THAT AND THAT HE'S DEFENDING THEM.

BUT I DO THINK WE'RE GOING TO START SEEING MORE AND MORE SCHOOL DISTRICTS PUSH BACK.

I KNOW HERE LOCALLY, ORANGE COUNTY HAS NOT PUSHED BACK JUST YET, BUT THEY ARE SPEAKING WITH SOME OF THE LAWMAKERS TO SEE WHAT THEIR OPTIONS ARE.

AND I THINK AS MORE SCHOOL DISTRICTS START TO TAKE A STANCE ON THIS, THEY WILL SORT OF HAVE POWER IN NUMBERS.

AND I THINK IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS JUST OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.

>>YEAH, INDEED.

A COUPLE OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE HAVE PUSHED BACK.

BROWARD FOR EXAMPLE, AND ALSO ALACHUA COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA.

PRESIDENT BIDEN THIS WEEK CRITICIZED STATES LIKE FLORIDA THAT HAVE BANNED MASK MANDATES, PARTICULARLY IN SCHOOLS.

TAKE A LISTEN TO THAT AND THEN GOVERNOR DESANTIS'S RESPONSE.

>>AS OF NOW, SEVEN STATES NOT ONLY BAN MASK MANDATES, BUT ALSO BAN THEM IN THEIR SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

EVEN FOR YOUNG CHILDREN WHO CANNOT GET VACCINATED.

SOME STATES HAVE EVEN BANNED BUSINESSES AND UNIVERSITIES FROM REQUIRING WORKERS AND STUDENTS TO BE MASKED OR VACCINATED.

JUST TWO STATES, FLORIDA AND TEXAS, ACCOUNT FOR ONE THIRD OF ALL NEW COVID-19 CASES IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.

JUST TWO STATES.

LOOK, WE NEED LEADERSHIP FROM EVERYONE.

IF SOME GOVERNORS AREN'T WILLING TO DO THE RIGHT THING TO BEAT THIS PANDEMIC, THEN THEY SHOULD ALLOW BUSINESSES, UNIVERSITIES, WHO WANT TO DO THE RIGHT THING, TO BE ABLE TO DO IT.

I SAY TO THESE GOVERNORS, PLEASE HELP.

BUT YOU AREN'T GOING TO HELP, AT LEAST GET OUT OF THE WAY.

THE PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING.

>>JOE BIDEN SUGGESTS THAT IF YOU DON'T DO LOCK DOWN POLICIES, THEN YOU SHOULD "GET OUT OF THE WAY."

BUT LET ME TELL YOU THIS.

IF YOU'RE COMING AFTER THE RIGHTS OF PARENTS IN FLORIDA, I'M STANDING IN YOUR WAY.

I'M NOT GOING TO LET YOU GET AWAY WITH IT.

IF YOU'RE TRYING TO DENY KIDS A PROPER IN-PERSON EDUCATION, I'M GOING TO STAND IN YOUR WAY AND I'M GOING TO STAND UP FOR THE KIDS IN FLORIDA.

IF YOU'RE TRYING TO RESTRICT PEOPLE, IMPOSE MANDATES, IF YOU'RE TRYING TO RUIN THEIR JOBS AND THEIR LIVELIHOODS AND THEIR SMALL BUSINESS, IF YOU ARE TRYING TO LOCK PEOPLE DOWN, I AM STANDING IN YOUR WAY AND I'M STANDING FOR THE PEOPLE OF FLORIDA.

SO WHY DON'T YOU DO YOUR JOB?

WHY DON'T YOU GET THIS BORDER SECURE?

AND UNTIL YOU DO THAT, I DON'T WANT TO HEAR A BLIP ABOUT COVID FROM YOU.

THANK YOU.

>>ALL RIGHT.

WELL, IT'S WORTH NOTING THAT DESANTIS IS ALREADY FUNDRAISING OFF THOSE REMARKS THIS WEEK.

HE SAYS THAT BIDEN IS FACILITATING THE IMPORT OF COVID CASES THROUGH HIS POLICIES AT THE BORDER.

THE PRESIDENT TALKS, LAUREN, ABOUT GOVERNORS SORT OF GETTING OUT OF THE WAY, BUT CAN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT REALLY DO MUCH WITHOUT THE STATES?

I MEAN, GOVERNOR DESANTIS IS IN CHARGE HERE IN FLORIDA.

>>YEAH.

I DON'T KNOW IF THEY CAN.

I THINK THAT THE PRESIDENT PROBABLY FELT LIKE IT WAS IMPORTANT TO STEP IN AND SAY SOMETHING TO AT LEAST SHOW THAT HE SEES WHAT'S HAPPENING.

HE KNOWS THAT THERE'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, BUT I REALLY DON'T THINK THERE IS A LOT THAT FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN DO.

AND TO BE HONEST, I DO THINK THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS STATE THAT ARE ON THE SIDE OF THE GOVERNOR.

AND SO I THINK WHEN YOU TALK TO DOCTORS AND NURSES THAT ARE INSIDE THESE HOSPITALS THAT ARE STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE FRUSTRATED WHEN THEY SEE THIS BACK AND FORTH WITH POLITICIANS BECAUSE THEY WANT PEOPLE TO STICK TO THE SCIENCE.

AND I THINK THAT A LOT OF THIS HAS REALLY GOTTEN WRAPPED UP IN POLITICS UNFORTUNATELY.

>>JUST REALLY HIGHLY POLITICAL.

THE AGRICULTURE COMMISSIONER NIKKI FREED IS CRITICIZING THE LACK OF DAILY COVID DATA FROM THE STATE.

THE STATE SENDS THAT DATA DIRECTLY TO THE CDC, RIGHT?

WHICH THEN RELEASES THOSE NUMBERS.

WHY DO CRITICS SAY THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH, LAUREN, AND WHY IS THE STATE NOT PUBLISHING THAT DATA ITSELF EACH DAY NOW?

>>I THINK PEOPLE ARE FRUSTRATED BECAUSE IT'S NOT AN EASY THING TO GET.

AND IT ONCE WAS.

IF YOU REMEMBER FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE PANDEMIC, EVERY SINGLE DAY, WE RECEIVED A STATE REPORT THAT WAS BROKEN DOWN BY COUNTY AND WITH THE STATE STATISTICS.

AND WE WERE ABLE TO PUSH THAT OUT TO OUR VIEWERS AND LET PEOPLE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEIR AREA LOOKED LIKE ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THEIR ZIP CODE IN MANY CASES.

AND WE DON'T HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY ANYMORE BECAUSE ONCE THINGS STARTED TO GET A LITTLE BETTER IN THE PANDEMIC, THE STATE DECIDED THAT THEY DIDN'T NEED TO DO IT ANYMORE.

THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE EVEN SAID THE PANDEMIC IS ENDING.

THINGS ARE LOOKING BETTER.

THERE'S NO NEED TO PUT RESOURCES TOWARD THIS ANYMORE.

SO WE'RE GOING TO STOP, BUT THAT QUICKLY CHANGED.

AND I THINK PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND NOW WHY THE STATE HASN'T GONE BACK TO PROVIDING THAT VITAL INFORMATION THAT THEY WERE DOING FOR SO LONG.

>>I MEAN, IN TERMS OF THE ACTUAL CONCRETE DIFFERENCES THAT THIS LATEST SURGE IS MAKING ON THE GROUND HERE, AMY, I MEAN, HAVE WE SEEN A CHANGE IN THE VACCINATION RATE, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE GETTING VACCINATED IN OUR COMMUNITY NOW THAT WE HAVE THIS SPIKE IN DELTA CASES?

>>WE'RE SEEING A SMALL BUMP IN VACCINATION RATES IN CENTRAL FLORIDA IN ORANGE COUNTY.

A LITTLE MORE THAN HALF OF RESIDENTS HAVE RECEIVED ONE SHOT AT THIS POINT.

THERE COULD BE A LOT OF REASONS FOR THAT.

THERE COULD BE OBVIOUS FEARS OVER THE WIDESPREAD SPREAD OF THE DELTA VARIANT IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, PLACES OF WORK.

WE'RE SEEING PLACES OF WORK REQUIRE VACCINATIONS.

AND IT'S THE SUMMERTIME.

TRAVEL PLANS MIGHT REQUIRE VACCINATIONS IF PEOPLE ARE TRAVELING OUTSIDE OF THE STATE OR OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTRY.

>>YEAH.

LET ME GO BACK TO VACCINE MANDATES A MOMENT LAUREN.

MAYOR DEMINGS IS REQUIRING ORANGE COUNTY GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES TO GET VACCINATED.

WE HEARD THAT RECENTLY, BUT HE'S RECEIVING SOME PUSHBACK ON THAT, RIGHT?

I MEAN, HE'S SORT OF WALKING A FINE LINE HERE BETWEEN SHOWING LEADERSHIP AND GETTING SOME RESISTANCE FROM EMPLOYEES OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT.

RIGHT?

>>WELL, I WILL TELL YOU WHEN WE WERE AT THE COVID-19 BRIEFING ON MONDAY, A HUGE CROWD CAME TRYING TO PUSH INTO THAT MEETING.

THEY CAME IN THROUGH THE FRONT DOORS AND THEY WERE ACTUALLY NOT ABLE TO GET PAST THE SECURITY THERE, BUT THEY HAD SIGNS SAYING THAT THEY WERE AGAINST THESE MANDATES FOR VACCINES AND THEY WERE VERY LOUD.

THEY WERE AGGRESSIVELY SCREAMING TO BRING THE MAYOR DOWN SO THAT THEY COULD DISCUSS IT WITH HIM.

BUT, I'LL BE HONEST.

I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF THOSE PEOPLE WERE ACTUALLY ORANGE COUNTY EMPLOYEES.

WE ARE NOT HEARING FROM ANY ORANGE COUNTY EMPLOYEES.

AND WE'D BE INTERESTED TO HEAR SPECIFICALLY FROM THEM.

I KNOW THAT THIS MANDATE IS FOR THE NON-UNION EMPLOYEES FOR NOW.

AND SO THERE WILL BE SOME NEGOTIATIONS THROUGH THE UNIONS.

AND I THINK WE'LL HEAR A LOT MORE ABOUT POSSIBLY SOME OF THAT PUSHBACK ONCE WE START HEARING ABOUT THOSE NEGOTIATIONS.

>>YEAH.

THOSE DISCUSSIONS ARE OBVIOUSLY SET TO CONTINUE, AND DON'T FORGET, YOU CAN JOIN THIS CONVERSATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

WE'RE WUCF TV ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND INSTAGRAM AS WELL.

I WANT TO TALK ABOUT VACCINATION AMONG HEALTHCARE WORKERS NOW.

THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION JOINED NEARLY 60 MAJOR MEDICAL ORGANIZATIONS RECENTLY TO CALL FOR MANDATORY VACCINATION OF HEALTHCARE WORKERS.

IN FLORIDA, ONLY 42% OF NURSING HOME STAFF, FOR EXAMPLE, ARE FULLY VACCINATED.

THE FLORIDA HEALTHCARE ASSOCIATION IS A GROUP THAT REPRESENTS THE NURSING HOME INDUSTRY.

>>WE KNEW FROM THE BEGINNING IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR US TO EDUCATE OUR STAFF, PROVIDE THEM WITH INFORMATION, GAIN THEIR TRUST.

I THINK OUR STAFF ARE TRENDING SIMILAR TO JUST THE COMMUNITIES IN GENERAL.

THEY WANT TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS.

SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING HARD TO TRY TO GIVE THEM AS MUCH INFORMATION AS WE CAN.

THE LEADERS IN OUR NURSING HOMES ARE GETTING THE SHOTS AND TRYING TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE AND TRYING TO COME UP WITH ALL DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS AND WAYS TO HELP ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GET THE SHOT AND UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS REALLY THE SAFEST WAY THAT WE CAN PROTECT OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR STAFF.

>>ALL RIGHT.

THE NURSING HOME INDUSTRY IS EXPERIENCING A MAJOR SHORTAGE OF STAFF AT THE MOMENT.

AND INDEED, THAT ORGANIZATION TOLD ME THAT THAT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO MANDATE VACCINES FOR THEIR STAFF AT THE MOMENT.

I MEAN, WHY IS THERE A SPECIFIC CONCERN, AMY, PARTICULARLY ABOUT NURSING HOME STAFF IN OUR STATE AND HEALTHCARE WORKERS BEING VACCINATED?

>>THIS IS A HUGE CONCERN BECAUSE OF COURSE NURSING HOME EMPLOYEES ARE WORKING WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE SOME OF THE MOST VULNERABLE TO COVID-19.

THE ELDERLY AND PEOPLE WITH CO-MORBIDITIES.

>>YEAH.

I MEAN, IT'S A VERY VULNERABLE POPULATION AND WE'VE HEARD THAT, LAUREN, SINCE THE BEGINNING, THE GOVERNOR HAS TOUTED THE EARLY PUSH TO GET SENIORS VACCINATED, BUT WITH NURSING HOMES FULLY OPEN NOW, AND MANY STAFF UNVACCINATED, IS THERE CONCERN THAT MORE INFECTIONS COULD FOLLOW?

I MEAN, WE DON'T HAVE BOOSTER DOSES APPROVED IN THE US YET.

>>RIGHT.

AND WE'VE BEEN TOLD THAT WE DON'T NEED THEM YET, BUT THERE IS SOME TRIALS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THE BACKGROUND WHERE THEY'RE TESTING PEOPLE'S ANTIBODIES.

AND I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN IN CONTACT WITH SOME PEOPLE HERE LOCALLY WHO ARE IN THE PFIZER TRIAL, AND THEY ARE STARTING TO SEE THEIR ANTIBODIES DWINDLE AT ABOUT THE ONE YEAR MARK.

JUST NEXT MONTH, THEY WILL BE AT THE ONE YEAR MARK.

SO I DO THINK IT'S A CONCERN THAT WE'RE GOING TO START HEARING MORE ABOUT.

THANKFULLY, I THINK THAT WE REALLY HAVE HERD IMMUNITY WITH MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THAT AGE GROUP.

THE PROBLEM LIKE YOU'RE SAYING IS THAT PEOPLE WHO COME IN FROM THE OUTSIDE AND ARE SPENDING TIME GOING BACK AND FORTH COULD BRING THAT INFECTION IN.

AND IF THE ANTIBODIES START DWINDLING, WE COULD HAVE SOME ISSUES.

>>YOU LISTEN TO RAUL PINO, THE DIRECTOR OF THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH HERE IN ORANGE COUNTY A LOT.

I MEAN, A NURSING HOME IS SOMETHING THAT HE EXPRESSES CONCERN ABOUT GIVEN WHAT WE SAW TOWARDS THE BEGINNING OF THIS PANDEMIC.

>>ABSOLUTELY.

AND SO MUCH SO THAT IF THEY GET ONE CASE IN A NURSING HOME, THEY CONSIDER THAT AN OUTBREAK.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY ARE MONITORING CONSTANTLY.

AND THEY KNOW THAT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THEY CAN JUST SET ASIDE AND SAY THEY'VE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF.

BUT THANKFULLY AT THIS POINT, I DON'T THINK WE'VE HAD ANY SEVERE ISSUES.

AS SOON AS PEOPLE STARTED GETTING VACCINATED IN THOSE NURSING HOMES, REALLY THE NUMBERS DROPPED TREMENDOUSLY.

>>AND WE'VE SEEN SOME MEDICAL PROVIDERS, LAUREN, CONSIDER VACCINE MANDATES EVEN LOCALLY.

HAS THERE BEEN ANY MOVEMENT ON THAT?

AND DO WE KNOW WHY FLORIDA LAGS IN THIS AREA?

I MEAN, DO WE HAVE AN IDEA ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?

>>WELL, I HAVE BEEN CONSTANTLY ASKING THAT QUESTION BECAUSE I HAVE HEARD OF MANY HOSPITALS AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT ARE NOW REQUIRING ALL OF THEIR STAFF TO BE VACCINATED.

AND WE HAVEN'T HEARD THAT LOCALLY.

I THINK PART OF THE PROBLEM IS THAT THESE HOSPITALS ARE ALREADY DEALING WITH A NURSING SHORTAGE AND A DOCTOR SHORTAGE.

AND I THINK THAT IF THEY START REQUIRING VACCINES AND THEY HAVE PUSH BACK AND PEOPLE LEAVING, THEY'RE CONCERNED THAT THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE ENOUGH STAFF TO KEEP UP WITH THIS SURGE THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.

SO I THINK THEY'RE REALLY BALANCING THE RIGHT TIMING ON THAT.

I THINK IT WILL COME, BUT I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE IT IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE RIGHT NOW.

>>YOU CAN SEE MORE OF MY INTERVIEW WITH KRISTEN NAP FROM THE FLORIDA HEALTHCARE ASSOCIATION ON OUR WEBSITE, THAT'S A WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

OKAY.

FINALLY, I WANT TO SWITCH GEARS TONIGHT.

WE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF AMY'S REPORTING ON FLORIDA'S ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY SAYS THREE CENTRAL FLORIDA LANDFILLS ARE AMONG THE TOP 10 EMITTERS OF METHANE IN THE ENTIRE NATION.

METHANE, OF COURSE, IS A POTENT GREENHOUSE GAS.

IT'S A STARTLING FINDING, BUT ONE THAT IS CHALLENGED BY LANDFILL OPERATORS.

SO AMY LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS.

I MEAN, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE.

I MEAN, FIRST OF ALL, LET'S START AT THE BEGINNING.

I MEAN, WHO OPERATES THESE LANDFILL SITES AND WHAT DO THESE EPA FIGURES SHOW?

>>SO SOME OF THE LANDFILLS ARE PRIVATELY OPERATED AND SOME OF THEM ARE OPERATED BY MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS, BUT LANDFILLS ARE REQUIRED TO REPORT METHANE EMISSIONS TO THE EPA AND THAT'S DATA THAT THE EPA KEEPS TRACK OF.

AND SO OUR REPORTING TEAM ANALYZE THIS DATA AND UPON CRUNCHING THE NUMBERS DISCOVERED THAT THREE OF THE TOP 10 LANDFILLS WHEN IT COMES TO METHANE EMISSIONS ARE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA.

NUMBER TWO WAS IN OSCEOLA COUNTY.

NUMBER THREE WAS THE ORANGE COUNTY LANDFILL.

AND THE BREVARD COUNTY LANDFILL I THINK WAS NUMBER EIGHT.

AND THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE AS YOU SAID, METHANE IS A VERY POTENT GREENHOUSE GAS.

IT'S MORE POTENT THAN CARBON DIOXIDE.

AND THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS TAKING SOME NEW STEPS TO TARGET METHANE BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK THAT IS THE BEST AND EASIEST WAY TO SLOW CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE NEAR TERM.

IT'S MORE POTENT THAN CARBON DIOXIDE, BUT IT DOESN'T STAY IN THE ATMOSPHERE AS LONG AS CARBON DIOXIDE.

AND SO IT'S A WAY TO SLOW CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE.

>>I MEAN, THESE LANDFILL SITES EMIT METHANE INTO THE AIR.

THEY ALSO CAPTURE A LOT OF IT FOR ENERGY.

I CERTAINLY DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT A LOT OF THE MECHANICS OF THIS BEFORE I STARTED READING YOUR REPORTING.

I MEAN, HOW DO THEY DO THAT?

AND HOW IS THAT ENERGY USED?

>>WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS, JUST FOR A LITTLE CONTEXT, ONE OF THE THINGS OUR REPORTING TEAM DISCOVERED AS WE LOOKED INTO THIS IS THAT WHEN WE LOOK AT THESE NUMBERS, THE NUMBERS ACTUALLY ARE PRETTY SQUISHY.

AND OUR STORY POINTS OUT THIS IS A PROBLEM AS THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS PRIORITIZING METHANE EMISSIONS AS PART OF ITS CLIMATE CHANGE STRATEGY.

AND SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE ORANGE COUNTY LANDFILL RANKED NUMBER THREE IN THE EPA NATIONAL DATABASE, IT'S REALLY A LANDFILL THAT'S DOING EVERYTHING RIGHT.

THE LANDFILL IS CRISSCROSSED WITH MORE THAN 500 WELLS THAT ARE COLLECTING METHANE EMISSIONS BEFORE THEY'RE EMITTED INTO THE ATMOSPHERE.

AND THE METHANE IS SENT TO AN OUC PROCESSING FACILITY.

AND FROM THERE IT'S SENT TO THE STANTON ENERGY CENTER WHERE IT'S USED AS CLEAN ENERGY TO POWER HOMES AND BUSINESSES IN ORANGE AND OSCEOLA COUNTY.

>>DESPITE CAPTURING A LOT OF THAT METHANE, SOME OF THIS STUFF STILL ESCAPES.

AND I WONDER HOW LANDFILL OPERATORS HAVE REACTED TO THESE EPA NUMBERS.

THERE IS SOME PUSHBACK AND THERE'S A BIT OF CONTROVERSY ABOUT JUST HOW ACCURATE THEY ARE.

>>THAT'S RIGHT.

SO IN ORANGE COUNTY, THE LANDFILL OPERATORS SAY THE NUMBERS ARE WRONG.

CALCULATING NET METHANE EMISSIONS FROM LANDFILLS IS COMPLICATED.

A LANDFILL IS NOT LIKE A FACTORY WHERE METHANE EMISSIONS ARE RELEASED FROM A PARTICULAR POINT WHERE METHANE EMISSIONS CAN BE MEASURED.

LANDFILLS ARE VAST FACILITIES THAT CAN LEAK METHANE FROM VARIOUS POINTS.

AND SO LANDFILL OPERATORS USE EQUATIONS AND MODELS TO CALCULATE METHANE EMISSIONS.

AND DEPENDING ON THE EQUATION LANDFILL OPERATORS USE, THE NUMBERS CAN VARY DRASTICALLY.

AND SO IN ORANGE COUNTY, LANDFILL OPERATORS SAY LOOK, WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING RIGHT HERE AND THEY ARE.

>>AND THEY SAY THEY ARE NOT USING THE BEST EQUATION TO CONVEY ALL THE STEPS THEY'RE TAKING TO MITIGATE THESE METHANE EMISSIONS.

AFTER WE TALKED TO THEM, THEY WENT BACK AND RECALCULATED THEIR METHANE EMISSIONS USING A DIFFERENT EQUATION AND SAID THAT UNDER THIS DIFFERENT EQUATION, THEY RANKED NOT THREE, BUT ACTUALLY IN THE FOUR HUNDREDS.

AND SO THIS WAS DATA THEY SENT TO THE EPA.

AND NOW IT'S UP TO THE EPA TO UPDATE THIS INFORMATION ON THE WEBSITE.

SO AGAIN, AS THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS PRIORITIZING METHANE EMISSIONS, OUR REPORTING SHOWS THAT THERE'S A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THAT.

>>SO IT SEEMS INCONSISTENT ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

DIFFERENT LANDFILLS ARE USING DIFFERENT WAYS OF CALCULATING IT.

>>RIGHT, EXACTLY.

>>LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR REPORTING ON EVERGLADES RESTORATION FINALLY.

THIS IS ANOTHER REALLY IMPORTANT PIECE OF YOUR REPORTING THAT YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON AND THE RESTORATION OF THE KISSIMMEE RIVER, PARTICULARLY.

THAT SORT OF THE HEADWATERS OF THE EVERGLADES IN OUR REGION.

THAT PROJECT WAS COMPLETED RECENTLY, TELL US ABOUT THAT.

>>THAT'S RIGHT.

SO THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT STEP FORWARD IN EVERGLADES RESTORATION.

CONSTRUCTION ON A RESTORATION OF THE KISSIMMEE RIVER IS COMPLETE, AND IT'S REALLY KIND OF DIFFICULT TO OVERSTATE HOW SIGNIFICANT THIS IS.

THE RESTORATION ITSELF ON THE KISSIMMEE RIVER IS GLOBALLY SIGNIFICANT.

DURING A RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY LAST WEEK THAT I ATTENDED WITH GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS FROM ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT, THEY DESCRIBED THIS PROJECT AS UNPRECEDENTED IN THE WORLD, NOT ONLY IN SCOPE AND SCALE, BUT ALSO IN THAT BACK IN THE NINETIES WHEN THEY BEGAN THIS PROJECT, NO ONE HAD REALLY DONE ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE.

>>THE PROJECT WAS AIMED AT RESTORING THE KISSIMMEE RIVER TO A CLOSER NATURAL STATE.

HISTORICALLY THE KISSIMMEE RIVER BEGAN IN ORLANDO AND FLOWED FROM ORLANDO TO LAKE OKEECHOBEE.

IT MEANDERED SLOWLY, WHICH CREATED PRISTINE WATER QUALITY AND A HAVEN FOR WILDLIFE.

AND THE RIVER WAS STRAIGHTENED AND DEEPENED AS PART OF EVERGLADES DRAINAGE.

AND SO THIS WAS A RESTORATION THAT WAS AIMED AT TAKING THE RIVER BACK TO A MORE NATURAL STATE.

AND THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT IS THE HEADWATERS OF THE EVERGLADES.

IT'S THE MOST SIGNIFICANT EVERGLADES RESTORATION PROJECT TO REACH COMPLETION AT THIS POINT.

AND IT'S ALREADY WORKING.

WE'RE ALREADY SEEING WATER QUALITY IMPROVE, AND WE'RE ALREADY SEEING WILDLIFE POPULATIONS REBOUNDING IN THAT AREA.

>>WELL, WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE YOUR REPORTING ON THIS REALLY IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR SURE, AMY, AND YOU CAN FIND A LINK TO AMY'S PODCAST ON EVERGLADES RESTORATION CALLED DRAINED ON OUR WEBSITE AT WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

ALL RIGHT.

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

MY THANKS TO LAUREN SEABROOK OF WFTV CHANNEL NINE AND AMY GREEN AT 90.7 WMFE.

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

FROM ALL OF US HERE AT NEWS NIGHT, TAKE CARE AND HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.