>>THIS WEEK ON NEWSNIGHT.

AS THE DELTA VARIANT DRIVES A PANDEMIC RESURGENCE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, HOSPITALS REPORT ADMISSIONS AND NUMBERS NOT SEEN SINCE JANUARY.

AND AS TEACHERS PREPARE TO BEGIN PLANNING THE NEW FALL SEMESTER NEXT WEEK, SOME ARE CRITICIZING SCHOOL BOARDS FOR REMOVING MASK MANDATES FOR STUDENTS.

NEWSNIGHT STARTS NOW.

♪ THEME 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.

AND 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.

SO JOINING US THIS WEEK VIA SKYPE, ALEXA LORENZO, MY FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE FROM WFTV CHANNEL NINE, AND GREG ANGEL FROM SPECTRUM NEWS 13.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.

MY COLLEAGUE, STEVE MORT, WILL BE BACK NEXT WEEK.

WELL, FIRST, TONIGHT WE ARE IN CRISIS MODE.

THE WORDS OF MAYOR JERRY DEMINGS THIS WEEK BEFORE HE INSTITUTED A LOCAL STATE OF EMERGENCY AMID SOARING COVID CASES.

SOME 4,200 NON-UNION ORANGE COUNTY GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES WILL NOW HAVE UNTIL THE END OF AUGUST TO GET A FIRST DOSE OF THE VACCINE AND THEY'LL BE REQUIRED TO WEAR MASKS AT WORK.

THE MAYOR IS ALSO URGING BUSINESSES TO FOLLOW SUIT AND ADHERE TO NEWLY ISSUED FEDERAL GUIDELINES.

THE CDC THIS WEEK REVERSED COURSE RECOMMENDING ALL PEOPLE RESUME WEARING MASKS IN PLACES WHERE TRANSMISSION IS HIGH, INCLUDING FLORIDA.

>>AS DEMAND FOR TESTING AT BARNETT PARK SWELLS, ALONG WITH OUR REGIONS DOUBLE DIGIT POSITIVITY RATE, HOSPITALS ARE FILLING UP.

>>WE NEVER THOUGHT THAT WE WILL BE AT THIS POINT AGAIN, BUT THAT WAS BEFORE THE DELTA VARIANT.

>>ADVENT HEALTH SAYS THE INCREASE IN COVID CASES AT ITS HOSPITALS THROUGHOUT ORANGE, OSCEOLA, SEMINOLE, LAKE, POLK, VOLUSIA AND FLAGLER COUNTIES HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT AND SWIFT.

>>WE ARE NOW SEEING ABOUT THE FASTEST RATE OF INCREASE THAT WE HAVE SEEN DURING THE COURSE OF THIS ENTIRE PANDEMIC.

>>WITH INPATIENT ADMISSIONS CLOSE TO THE PEAK REACHED IN JANUARY, THE HOSPITAL SYSTEM SAYS IT'S MOVING ITS OPERATIONS TO CODE RED, DEFERRING NON-TIME-SENSITIVE ELECTIVE OUTPATIENT SURGERIES.

BUT DESPITE THE MOVE, ADVENT HEALTH SAYS IT HAS SUFFICIENT CAPACITY AND SUPPLIES TO COPE WITH THE SURGE.

>>ALL RIGHT, ALEXA, SO WE'LL START WITH YOU.

YOU WERE AT MAYOR DEMING'S ANNOUNCEMENT ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT OF THE NEW STEPS IN THE WAKE OF THAT NEW CDC GUIDANCE.

SO, THERE'S TWO THINGS GOING ON HERE, MANDATES AND RECOMMENDATIONS.

SO TALK US THROUGH WHAT EXACTLY HE'S MANDATING FOR THOSE NON UNION COUNTY EMPLOYEES AND WHAT HE'S RECOMMENDING FOR BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS.

>>EXACTLY, RIGHT.

THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE, REQUIREMENT AND RECOMMENDATIONS.

WITH THAT LOCAL STATE OF EMERGENCY, HE IS RECOMMENDING THAT EVERYONE IN ORANGE COUNTY, VISITORS AND RESIDENTS ALIKE, WEAR THEIR MASKS BACK INDOORS, WHETHER THEY'RE VACCINATED OR NOT.

THIS IS FOLLOWING THE CDC GUIDANCE THAT WAS UPDATED THIS WEEK.

SO THAT'S WHAT'S IN THE LOCAL STATE OF EMERGENCY.

>>NOW HE DID SEND AN INTERNAL MEMO TO ORANGE COUNTY EMPLOYEES, UPWARDS OF 4,000, LIKE YOU SAID, NON-UNION EMPLOYEES TELLING THEM THEY NEED TO GET THEIR COVID-19 VACCINE.

THEY HAVE UNTIL THE END OF SEPTEMBER TO DO THAT.

IF THEY CHOOSE A TWO DOSE VACCINE, THEY HAVE UNTIL AUGUST 31ST TO GET SHOT NUMBER ONE.

>>THERE ARE SOME LEGAL EXEMPTIONS.

THAT WOULD BE A SINCERE RELIGIOUS BELIEF OR MEDICAL CONDITIONS UNDER THE AMERICAN DISABILITY ACT.

THOSE WOULD BE YOUR LEGAL EXEMPTIONS TO NOT GET THE CORONAVIRUS VACCINE IF YOU ARE AN ORANGE COUNTY EMPLOYEE.

BUT IF YOU FALL UNDER THOSE LEGAL EXEMPTIONS, THEN YOU WILL HAVE TO TEST EVERY WEEK.

>>ALL RIGHT.

SO GREG, DOES MAYOR DEMING'S DECISION TO REQUIRE THIS VACCINATION FOR THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES PUT HIM ON A COLLISION COURSE NOW WITH THE GOVERNOR?

WE'VE GOT TO TALK ABOUT THE GOVERNOR, WHO WE KNOW OPPOSES MANDATES AND IS NOT PLANNING A NEW STATEWIDE EMERGENCY ORDER.

>>WELL, THE GOVERNOR HAS BEEN CLEAR THAT HE IS AGAINST ALL MANDATES AND SPECIFICALLY, THE MANDATES THAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING THAT HE'S BEEN FIGHTING WITH LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES ARE ABOUT FORCING MASK WEARING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT AS LATE AS WEDNESDAY, THE GOVERNOR ACTUALLY CAME OUT AND SAID THAT HE BELIEVES THE MANDATES FOR EMPLOYERS TO REQUIRE EMPLOYEES TO BE VACCINATED IS AN ENTIRELY SEPARATE ISSUE.

IT IS AN ISSUE THAT IS ACTUALLY SPELLED OUT IN LAW, THAT LEGALLY EMPLOYERS CAN REQUIRE EMPLOYEES TO BE VACCINATED.

KEEP IN MIND HERE IN FLORIDA, ACCORDING TO FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, IF YOU REFUSE TO BE VACCINATED, YOU COULD BE FIRED AND THEN YOU WOULD NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS.

SO THERE ARE THOSE RAMIFICATIONS.

ALSO KEEP IN MIND, AS YOU JUST HEARD, THERE ARE SOME EXEMPTIONS TO THIS BUT THOSE ARE ALSO DEFINED IN LAW AS WELL AS THEY'VE BEEN CHALLENGED IN COURTS.

AND SO FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OWN COMMENTS, WE DO NOT EXPECT HIM TO PUT UP MUCH OF A CHALLENGE, AS HE SAYS BUSINESSES SHOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE THEIR OWN DECISIONS, AND THAT HE RECOGNIZES THAT THE MANDATES OF MASK WEARING IS A SEPARATE ISSUE FROM THE REQUIRED VACCINATION, RIGHT?

>>YEAH, NO DOUBT THE WHOLE COUNTRY WILL BE WATCHING HOW THIS PLAYS OUT BETWEEN OUR GOVERNOR AND OUR LOCAL COUNTIES.

>>ALEXA, THE COUNTY IS IN TALKS WITH EMPLOYEE UNIONS RIGHT NOW.

SO LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT PENALTIES THESE WORKERS WHO REFUSE VACCINATION COULD FACE AND DOES THE MAYOR FEEL HE'S ON SOLID LEGAL GROUND HERE?

>>SO THESE EMPLOYERS WHO DO NOT, EMPLOYEES RATHER, WHO DO NOT FALL UNDER ANY OF THOSE LEGAL EXEMPTIONS AND REFUSE TO GET VACCINATED, THE MAYOR SAYS COULD FACE DISCIPLINARY ACTION ALL THE WAY UP TO TERMINATION.

AND THE MAYOR CALLED THIS MOVE IN YESTERDAY'S PRESS CONFERENCE LEGALLY DEFENSIBLE.

HE SAYS HE'S ON SOLID LEGAL GROUND HERE.

AND I SPOKE WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY ABOUT THIS DURING WEDNESDAY'S PRESS CONFERENCE, AND HE SAID, YES, THIS IS STRICTLY AN ISSUE BETWEEN EMPLOYER AND EMPLOYEE, WHICH IS THE COUNTY AND ITS EMPLOYEES.

IT WOULD BE THE SAME AS, LET'S SAY, DISNEY AND ITS EMPLOYEES, AMAZON AND ITS EMPLOYEES.

SO THIS IS EMPLOYER-EMPLOYEE RELATIONSHIPS AND THE COUNTY ATTORNEY BELIEVES THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE DOES NOT HAVE ANY RIGHT, ANY LEGAL GROUND HERE TO GET INVOLVED.

>>YOU JUST MENTIONED DISNEY.

DISNEY SAYS IT WILL NOW REQUIRE MASKS INDOORS FOR EVERYONE OVER AGE TWO.

SO DO WE HAVE ANY INDICATION OF WHETHER OTHER MAJOR COMPANIES ARE GOING TO BE FOLLOWING HERE, GREG?

>>WELL OF COURSE, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT COMPANIES ARE BEING LEFT WITH THEIR OWN DISCRETION TO DECIDE.

AT THE TIME OF THIS TAPING, WE ARE STILL WAITING TO HEAR FROM SEAWORLD, UNIVERSAL AND OTHER MAJOR COMPANIES AS IT RELATES TO MASK WEARING.

BUT ALSO TOO WE'VE BEEN ASKING THEM EVEN ABOUT THE VACCINATION.

AS WE KNOW, THE FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS IS GOING TO BE REQUIRING VACCINATION FOR MANY EMPLOYEES, AS ARE THE CITY OF NEW YORK, AND IN CALIFORNIA AS WELL STATE EMPLOYEES ARE GOING TO FORCE VACCINATION.

SO THERE'S THE MASK, BUT THEN THERE'S ALSO THE VACCINATION.

WE KNOW FROM TRAVEL, CENTRAL FLORIDA BEING A LARGE TOURISM SECTOR HERE, I'VE ALSO BEEN REACHING OUT TO THE AIRLINES.

WE KNOW THAT FEDERAL RULES KEEP MASK WEARING IN PLACE ON PLANES, AIRPORTS AND THE LIKE, SO THOSE ARE GOING TO REMAIN IN EFFECT.

BUT I'VE ALSO BEEN IN TALK WITH SOURCES AT MAJOR AIRLINES, AMERICAN DELTA AND SO FORTH, AND THEY ARE ALL TELLING ME AT THIS POINT THAT THE AIRLINES ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGING THEIR EMPLOYEES TO GET VACCINATED.

BUT SO FAR THE MAJOR AIRLINES AND THOSE EMPLOYERS IN THE TOURISM SECTOR ARE NOT GOING TO, AT LEAST AT THIS POINT, REQUIRE VACCINATIONS.

>>ALEXA, THE STATE NO LONGER PUTS OUT DAILY COVID DATA, BUT WE KNOW THAT HOSPITALIZATIONS ARE BREAKING RECORDS RIGHT NOW.

COULD FATALITIES BE A LAGGING INDICATOR AMONG THE UNVACCINATED?

>>DEATHS USUALLY ARE A LAGGING INDICATOR, RIGHT?

WE'VE SEEN THAT THROUGH EVERY SURGE OF THIS PANDEMIC.

THE DEATHS USUALLY ONCE THEY DO COME, UNFORTUNATELY THEY COME ABOUT A MONTH AFTER THE SPIKE IN CASES.

AND I SPEAK WITH A LOCAL DATA STATISTICIAN EVERY WEEK TO JUST GET GOOD, DEEP PERSPECTIVE ON THESE NUMBERS, AND HE THINKS THAT DEATHS THIS TIME AROUND, IT'S KIND OF A COMPLICATED STATISTIC, BECAUSE HOSPITALS ARE GETTING BETTER AT TREATING THIS VIRUS.

AND NOW WE'RE DEALING WITH A YOUNGER POPULATION THAT IS CATCHING THIS VIRUS NOW.

IT'S NOT THE ELDERLY AS MUCH ANYMORE BECAUSE THEY HAVE SUCH A HIGH VACCINATION RATE.

SO THOSE YOUNGER POPULATIONS GENERALLY DON'T DEAL WITH THE SAME UNTOWARD CONSEQUENCES FROM THE VIRUS THAT THE OLDER GENERATION POPULATION DOES.

SO THIS IS KIND OF A WAIT-AND-SEE MOMENT.

IF THAT IS THE SILVER LINING AT ALL IS THAT MAYBE DEATHS DON'T SKYROCKET LIKE THEY HAVE IN PAST SURGES.

>>ALL RIGHT.

AND VERY BRIEFLY TO WRAP UP THIS SEGMENT, GREG, YOU MENTIONED THE AIRLINES.

LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT THIS MEANS FOR OUR TOURISM INDUSTRY RIGHT NOW, WITH THE WHITE HOUSE SAYING THIS WEEK THAT IT WOULD KEEP ITS INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS IN PLACE BECAUSE OF THESE LATEST SPIKES WE'RE SEEING.

>>YEAH.

AND THERE'S CERTAINLY A LOT OF PENT UP DEMAND.

I MEAN, YOU EVEN LOOK AT AIRLINES LIKE JET BLUE, LAUNCHING NEW SERVICE TO LA LONDON.

AND SO, THERE IS A HUNGER FOR AMERICANS WHO WANT TO TRAVEL INTERNATIONALLY, INTERNATIONAL GUESTS WHO WANT TO COME HERE.

SO THERE'S GOING TO BE A BIG IMPACT THERE.

>>OVERALL THOUGH, PHIL BROWN, ORLANDO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, SAYS NUMBERS REALLY AT THIS POINT ARE NOT TOO FAR BEHIND 2019.

SO THERE IS AN OPTIMISM THAT AT LEAST DOMESTICALLY AMERICANS ARE TRAVELING.

BUT THE BIGGEST IMPACT WITH THE CONTINUED TRAVEL BAN IS THE FACT THERE'S JUST A LOT OF PENT UP DEMAND, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE READY TO PUT COVID BEHIND US ONCE AND FOR ALL.

>>AMEN TO THAT.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, WE SHOULD NOTE THAT WE ARE RECORDING THIS SHOW ON THURSDAY MORNING, SO MANY THINGS CAN CHANGE BY AIRTIME AND THINGS TEND TO MOVE FAST WITH ALL OF THIS.

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

WE ARE @WUCF ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S TALK SCHOOLS.

THE CDC NOW SAYS EVERYONE IN K-12 SCHOOLS SHOULD WEAR A MASK REGARDLESS OF VACCINATION STATUS.

DISTRICTS THROUGHOUT OUR REGION HAVE REMOVED THEIR FACIAL COVERING REQUIREMENTS AHEAD OF THE NEW ACADEMIC YEAR.

THE ISSUE CAME UP AGAIN AT SEVERAL SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS THIS WEEK, DAYS BEFORE STUDENTS RETURNED TO CLASS.

THE COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD NOW SAYS IT WILL REQUEST MORE COVID DATA FROM THE STATE WITH AN EYE TOWARD POSSIBLY RE-EVALUATING ITS MASK POLICY.

BUT IT STOPPED SHORT OF IMMEDIATELY ASKING FOR A MANDATE TO BE REINSTATED.

>>I THINK IF WE CAN DO ANYTHING TO PUT A BARRIER IN PLACE TO HELP AN ADDITIONAL LAYER OF PROTECTION UNTIL THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET VACCINATED, I'M ALL FOR THAT NOW, BECAUSE THE NUMBERS ARE DEFINITELY WORSE.

>>WE DO NEED TO FIND WHAT WE FEEL IS THAT TRIGGER.

AND IT MAY BE TOMORROW WHEN WE FEEL LIKE WE HAVE TO BRING THAT BACK TO A TABLE AND MAYBE EVEN HAVE A SMALL WORKSHOP ON IT.

I AM NOT READY PERSONALLY YET.

>>IF IT WERE MY DECISION, I WOULD HAVE A MASK POLICY MANDATE IN PLACE FOR THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, MONITOR IT AND LOOK FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO LIFT IT.

>>ONE OF THE MOST FRUSTRATING THINGS AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER IS THE LACK OF DATA AVAILABLE TO US ON A DAILY BASIS.

WE USED TO GET DAILY NUMBERS THAT AREN'T AVAILABLE.

THE NUMBERS THAT WE GET FROM THE STATE ARE WEEKLY NUMBERS.

IT'S JUST NOT GOOD ENOUGH INFORMATION FOR US TO BE SITTING HERE TO MAKE A DECISION TO MASK ALL CHILDREN THROUGHOUT OCPS.

>>THE DATA OUT EVERY DAY THIS WEEK FOR OUR STATE AND ORANGE COUNTY IS ALREADY COMPELLING.

WHEN IT COMES TO MASKS FOR THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR, I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD ABIDE BY THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY, OUR MEDICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE, THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PEDIATRICS AND THE CDC, WHICH EACH RECOMMENDS THAT WE ALL WEAR MASKS WHEN INDOORS UNTIL FACTORS INDICATE IT'S SAFE NOT TO.

>>ALL RIGHT, NEXT, LET'S HEAR FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE ORANGE COUNTY CLASSROOM TEACHERS ASSOCIATION, A UNION REPRESENTING TEACHERS.

>>MASKS ARE A PROTECTION AND IT'S THE SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE THING TO DO.

CHILDREN ARE GETTING THE DELTA VARIANT AND NOT ONLY ARE THEY GETTING IT, BUT THEY'RE SPREADING IT TO UNVACCINATED ADULTS AND SOME OF THEM ARE BEING HOSPITALIZED NOW.

>>SO IT'S A REAL CONCERN TO US.

IT'S A CONCERN TO ME AS A HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCATE, AS A PARENT, AS A GRANDPARENT AND BECAUSE, FIRST AND FOREMOST, I'M AN EDUCATOR AND EVERY TEACHER ALWAYS WANTS THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF EVERY STUDENT TO BE PROTECTED.

AND THAT'S YOUR FOREMOST CONCERN.

>>I'M STUNNED BY THE NUMBER OF PARENTS THAT DON'T BELIEVE IN VACCINES AND SAY THEY'RE SENDING THEIR CHILD TO SCHOOL WITHOUT A MASK.

I FIND IT STUNNING.

I FIND IT SOCIALLY IRRESPONSIBLE.

>>SO ORANGE COUNTY'S RECENTLY ADOPTED POLICY ALLOWS SUPERINTENDENT BARBARA JENKINS TO IMMEDIATELY REINSTATE A MASK MANDATE BASED ON FEEDBACK FROM BOARD MEMBERS.

WE DID REQUEST AN INTERVIEW WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT FOR THIS WEEK SHOW, BUT THE DISTRICT DECLINED AND SAID WE'D DO IT AT A LATER DATE.

>>SO ALEXA, ORANGE COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS EXPRESS CONCERN OVER THE TRENDS, WE JUST HEARD THAT.

COULD MAYOR DEMING'S ANNOUNCEMENT CHANGE THEIR MINDS?

AND IS THIS DEBATE WE'RE SEEING PLAYING OUT ACROSS CENTRAL FLORIDA?

>>WE SHOULD MENTION THAT IN SOUTH FLORIDA, BROWARD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT JUST ISSUED A MASK MANDATE.

SO WE ARE SEEING SOME CHANGES ACROSS OUR STATE.

WHAT ABOUT HERE LOCALLY?

>>IMPORTANT TO NOTE, RIGHT, IS THAT GOING TO WORK ITS WAY UP?

WE SAW FIRST IN BROWARD.

COULD WE BE NEXT?

THE BOARD SAID YESTERDAY THAT THEY ARE FOLLOWING THE MAYOR'S DECISION "VERY CLOSELY."

THEY KNOW THAT IT COULD PLAY A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN THESE ONGOING CONVERSATIONS BEFORE KIDS GO BACK INTO THE CLASSROOM.

AND THERE'S ONE PIECE OF A NEWS BRIEFING THAT STANDS OUT SO VIVIDLY IN MY MIND.

WHEN THE DECISION TO MAKE MASKS OPTIONAL AND ORANGE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS WAS BEING DISCUSSED, THERE WAS A DOCTOR AT ADVENT HEALTH DURING THE NEWS BRIEFING THAT SAID, "RIGHT NOW, THE WAY CASES ARE, THIS DECISION IS A SOUND ONE.

YOU CAN MAKE MASKS OPTIONAL.

BUT ONCE WE START SEEING THAT RAPID COMMUNITY SPREAD AGAIN, WE WILL LIKELY HAVE TO REVISIT IT."

AND THAT WAS JUST MAYBE THREE, FOUR WEEKS BACK.

SO THIS IS ALL CHANGING VERY QUICKLY.

AND LIKE YOU SAID, NANCY, FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL IS SO CLOSE, SO THESE DECISIONS HAVE TO BE MADE QUICKLY, SOUNDLY AND THEY WANT MORE DATA TO LOOK AT.

AND THAT'S WHAT THEY HAVE ASKED.

THEY'VE REQUESTED MORE DATA, THEY'LL REVIEW IT AND THEN THEY COULD TAKE IT UP TO THE SUPERINTENDENT AND ASK THAT THAT OPTIONAL POLICY BE REVERSED AND MAKE IT MANDATORY.

WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE.

>>ONCE AGAIN, ANOTHER STRESSFUL START TO THE SCHOOL YEAR FOR EVERYONE.

WELL, THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE HIT BACK AT THE NEW CDC GUIDELINES ON SCHOOLS THIS WEEK.

HIS PRESS SECRETARY PROVIDED NEWSNIGHT WITH THIS STATEMENT.

HERE IT IS: "FORTUNATELY THE DATA INDICATE THAT COVID IS NOT A SERIOUS RISK TO HEALTHY CHILDREN, WHICH IS WHY SCHOOLS IN MOST COUNTRIES WERE AMONG THE FIRST INSTITUTIONS TO REOPEN.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE GOVERNOR TRUSTS PARENTS TO WEIGH THE RISKS AND BENEFITS AND MAKE THE BEST CHOICES FOR THEIR KIDS."

SO GREG, THE GOVERNOR HELD A CLOSED DOOR MEETING IN TALLAHASSEE THIS WEEK WITHOUT THE MEDIA PRESENT, PROMISING NO STUDENTS WILL BE REQUIRED TO WEAR MASKS IN FLORIDA.

SO, WHO DID HE MEET WITH AND WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THIS CLOSED DOOR MEETING?

>>WELL, CRITICALLY THE INDIVIDUALS WHO THE GOVERNOR MET WITH ARE ALL ANTI MASK, ANTI-VACCINATION, AND THEY HAVE BEEN FOR SOME TIME, AS INDIVIDUALS ON SOCIAL MEDIA ARE KIND OF POINTING OUT THE RECORDS HERE.

AND IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS WAS A ROUND TABLE WITH SELECTED MEMBERS THAT ARGUABLY ARE TRYING TO CREATE AN ECHO CHAMBER FOR THE GOVERNOR.

BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN PLENTY OF PUSHBACK FROM OTHER MEDICAL EXPERTS THAT THE DATA IS ACTUALLY SHOWING KIDS WITH THE DELTA VARIANT ARE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE AND THAT THE IMPACT IS GREATER.

PART OF THE CHALLENGE WITH THIS ROUND TABLE SPECIFICALLY IS THE FACT THAT THE PUBLIC WAS NOT TOLD ABOUT IT UNTIL ABOUT EIGHT HOURS AFTER IT HAPPENED, OR EVEN MORE SO BECAUSE IT HAPPENED ABOUT 12:30 IN THE AFTERNOON AND THE GOVERNOR'S DAILY SCHEDULE CAME OUT AT ALMOST 10 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT.

THE CHALLENGE WITH THIS IS AS MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SAYING, FLORIDA USED TO POST ITS COVID DATA DAILY, AND THEY'RE NOT DOING THAT ANYMORE.

THE ARGUMENT FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE IS, "WELL, WE'RE REPORTING IT TO THE CDC."

BUT THEN PEOPLE PUSH BACK, "WELL, WHY NOT JUST PUT IT BACK ON THE DASHBOARD?

THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS THERE IN PLACE."

THE CHALLENGE FOR SCHOOL BOARDS SPECIFICALLY IS WHILE THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE SAYS, "LET PARENTS MAKE THE BEST DECISION," IS THAT THEY FEEL AS THOUGH THERE ARE BLIND SPOTS BECAUSE PARENTS AREN'T BEING GIVEN ALL THE INFORMATION TO WEIGH THE DECISIONS, EXPERTS AREN'T BEING GIVEN ALL THE INFORMATION, AND THEN THERE'S ALSO THE POLITICS OF IT.

SOME HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT IF THEY GO BACK TO MANDATING MASKS BEING REQUIRED THAT THE GOVERNOR COULD EXERCISE HIS AUTHORITY AND START POACHING AND PICKING OFF SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS OFF OF THESE BOARDS, AND THEN REPLACING THEM WITH INDIVIDUALS THAT FOLLOW HIS BELIEFS, IF YOU WILL.

AND THAT IS AUTHORITY THE GOVERNOR DOES HAVE.

THE GOVERNOR DOES HAVE THE ABILITY TO REMOVE ELECTED OFFICIALS FROM THEIR SEATS, INCLUDING SUPERVISORS OF ELECTIONS AND SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.

>>INTERESTING HOW THIS COULD PLAY OUT.

SO ALEXA, THE WHITE HOUSE HAS PUSHED BACK AGAINST THE GOVERNOR'S POSITION ON MASKING IN SCHOOLS.

SO LET'S TALK MORE ABOUT WHAT FEDERAL OFFICIALS ARE SAYING ABOUT STATES LIKE OURS, WHERE THESE MASS MANDATES ARE JUST NOT EMBRACED BY LEADERSHIP.

>>YEAH.

THE PRESS SECRETARY JEN PSAKI THIS WEEK CALLED IT "GREATLY CONCERNING" AND SHE PUT HERSELF IN YOUR SHOES, RIGHT, NANCY, AS A PARENT WHO HAS CHILDREN HERE IN FLORIDA THAT ARE GOING TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

SHE SAID THAT IF SHE WERE A PARENT HERE IN FLORIDA, THIS WOULD BE "GREATLY CONCERNING" TO HER BECAUSE THE DATA BACKS UP THAT MASKS DO WORK.

AND THAT SHE SAYS BECAUSE THESE KIDS, 12 AND UNDER, ARE NOT FULLY VACCINATED, THEY SHOULD BE WEARING MASKS.

>>AND THE CDC SAID THIS WEEK IN THEIR NEW GUIDANCE THAT EVERYONE IN SCHOOLS, REGARDLESS OF VACCINATION STATUS, FROM THE TEACHERS TO THE STUDENTS TO THE CAFETERIA WORKERS, EVERYONE SHOULD BE WEARING A MASK.

SHE SAYS THAT THE DECISION TO NOT MASK IN SCHOOLS PUTS THE KIDS AT GREAT RISK.

AND IT IS SIMPLY NOT IN LINE WITH PUBLIC HEALTH GUIDELINES.

AND SHE SAID CONSISTENTLY WE KNOW MASKS WORK, THEY'RE NOT THE MOST COMFORTABLE THING.

SHE DID ADDRESS THAT.

BUT WE KNOW THEY WORK.

>>AND GREG, YOU TOUCHED ON IT ALREADY A LITTLE BIT TALKING ABOUT THE POWER THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS.

DOES THE GOVERNOR PLAN TO MAKE SURE NO MASK WILL BE MANDATED IF SCHOOL BOARDS DECIDE TO REQUIRE THEM AGAIN?

SO, WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF THE SCHOOL BOARD SAYS, "LET'S DO THIS"?

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE GOVERNOR WILL DO NEXT?

>>IS THAT THE GAME OF CHICKEN?

IS THAT IT'S REALLY A WAIT-AND-SEE, BUT PART OF THE PRESSURE, PART OF THE POINT THAT THE GOVERNOR CAN'T IGNORE IS THE FACT THAT WE DO HAVE A RENEWED SURGE IN CASES, MORE THAN 16,000 NEW CASES IN A SINGLE DAY THIS WEEK.

AND THAT IS ABOVE THE PEAKS IN JANUARY, AND SO, IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE ONLY DEALING WITH 10 NEW CASES A DAY.

>>SO THE GOVERNOR WILL HAVE TO BE MEASURED IN HIS APPROACH.

OBVIOUSLY HE IS STANDING FIRM, NO MANDATE, BUT REALITY OF THE CASES WILL REALLY DICTATE WHAT THE RESPONSES ARE.

AND I THINK RIGHT NOW THAT IS A DAY-TO-DAY KIND OF SITUATION.

>>YEAH.

ANYTHING CAN CHANGE AT ANY MOMENT.

AND WE WANT TO REMIND YOU, YOU CAN FIND MORE OF OUR INTERVIEW WITH WENDY DOROMAL FROM THE ORANGE COUNTY CLASSROOM TEACHERS ASSOCIATION ON OUR WEBSITE AT WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

>>FINALLY TONIGHT, 10 FLORIDA RESIDENTS ARE SUING THE STATE FOR ENDING FEDERAL UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS.

FLORIDA STOPPED PAYING OUT THE BENEFITS AT THE END OF JUNE, EVEN THOUGH CONGRESS AUTHORIZED THE FUNDING THROUGH THE BEGINNING OF SEPTEMBER.

27 STATES HAVE DONE THE SAME.

LET'S WATCH A STORY THAT GREG FILED ON THIS LAWSUIT FOR SPECTRUM NEWS 13.

>>PEOPLE WOKE UP AND THEIR ACCOUNTS WERE FOUND TO BE LOCKED OUT.

>>VANESSA BRITTO KNOWS THE PROBLEMS WITH FLORIDA'S UNEMPLOYMENT SYSTEM FIRSTHAND.

>>THERE'S A LOT, BUT I THINK THE ANGER IS WHAT CONCERNS ME THE MOST.

>>WE ARE UNABLE TO OFFER A CALLBACK OPTION.

>>SHE'S NOW LEADING A GRASSROOTS EFFORT TO RAISE MONEY TO SUE THE STATE OF FLORIDA.

>>STATUTE DICTATES AND I QUOTE, "THE STATE SHALL COLLECT THESE BENEFITS."

AND THAT'S THE CRUX OF THE CASE.

>>ATTORNEYS GAUTIER KITCHEN, MARIE MADDOX AND SCOTT BARON FIRST SUED THE STATE LAST YEAR OVER UNEMPLOYMENT PROBLEMS.

THEY PLAN TO ARGUE THIS CASE IN COURT AS WELL.

THEY'RE HOPING TO PERSUADE A JUDGE TO ORDER THE STATE TO REDISTRIBUTE FEDERAL EXTENDED UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS.

HERE'S THE BACKGROUND.

CONGRESS PROVIDED $300 WEEKLY UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS UNTIL SEPTEMBER.

LAST MONTH, FLORIDA BECAME THE 23RD STATE TO SHUT OFF SOME OF THOSE BENEFITS.

THERE ARE NOW LAWSUITS IN MARYLAND, OHIO, INDIANA, OKLAHOMA, TEXAS, AND NOW FLORIDA.

>>AND SO THE ARGUMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN THE OTHER STATES IS THAT THEY ARE VIOLATING THEIR OWN STATUTE BY NEGLECTING OR REFUSING TO TAKE THE FEDERAL MONEY THAT THEY'RE LEGALLY REQUIRED TO TAKE.

>>STATE LEADERS ARGUE THE BENEFITS NEEDED TO END IT BECAUSE SOME WERE EARNING MORE ON UNEMPLOYMENT THAN THEY WOULD ON THE JOB.

>>THEY WERE AVAILING THEMSELVES TO THE BENEFITS THAT ARE MADE AVAILABLE TO THEM.

WHY WOULDN'T THEY STAY HOME?

BUT THAT IS NOT SUSTAINABLE FOR OUR ECONOMY.

>>DEO'S CHIEF OF LABOR STATISTICS SAID LAST WEEK.

>>IT'S A LITTLE BIT TOO SOON TO TELL HOW SOME OF THESE CHANGES ARE IMPACTING THE JOB NUMBERS AT THIS POINT.

>>IF FLORIDIANS FEEL LIKE THEY'RE FORGOTTEN, IF THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'VE GOTTEN THE SHORT END OF THE STICK, IF THEY FEEL THAT IT SHOULDN'T BE THIS HARD AND OTHER PLACES HAVE GOT IT RIGHT, WHY NOT OURS, OUR STATE, THEY ARE CORRECT IN THOSE EMOTIONS.

THEY'VE BEEN FAILED.

>>SO GREG, THE LAWYERS SAY THEY'RE CONFIDENT, SO LET'S TALK ABOUT WHY.

>>WELL, THEY'RE REALLY GOING TO STATE STATUTE.

THEY SAY, LIKE THE OTHER STATES, STATE LAW SAYS THAT IN THE EVENT OF UNEMPLOYMENT STATES ARE REQUIRED TO PURSUE ANY AND ALL AVAILABLE BENEFITS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO SUPPORT FLORIDIANS.

NOW, FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY IS PUSHING BACK ON THAT ARGUMENT.

AND I'VE GONE THROUGH THE ORIGINAL DEAL THAT DEO HAS WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR.

THE MONEY COMES FROM CONGRESS THROUGH THE FEDS, THROUGH DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, THEN TO FLORIDA.

AND THAT DEAL DOES HAVE A PARAGRAPH THAT SAYS, "EITHER PARTY CAN CANCEL THIS WITH 30 DAYS NOTICE."

AND THAT'S PART OF THE ARGUMENT THAT DEO IS GOING WITH AND EXPECTED TO ARGUE IN COURT, IS THAT ACCORDING TO THE AGREEMENT THEY HAD WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THEY WERE ALLOWED TO END THIS ANYTIME THEY WANTED.

THE OPTIMISM FROM THE OTHER ATTORNEYS IS THE FACT THAT SOME OF THE OTHER SUITS ARE STARTING TO SEE SOME SUCCESS.

JUDGES IN MARYLAND AND INDIANA HAVE ORDERED THE BENEFITS TO BE RESTORED, AT LEAST WHILE LITIGATION IS PENDING.

AT THIS POINT, FLORIDA IS STILL LOOKING FOR A SPECIFIC HEARING DATE AND IT IS WORTH NOTING, WHILE THIS LAWSUIT HAS 10 PLAINTIFFS, THE ATTORNEYS ARE LOOKING TO GET RELIEF FOR ALL IMPACTED FLORIDIANS.

SO IF THERE'S ANY RESTORATION OF BENEFITS, IT WOULD NOT BE TO JUST THE 10 PLAINTIFFS INVOLVED.

>>ALL RIGHT.

AND WE ONLY HAVE ABOUT A MINUTE AND A HALF HERE LEFT IN THE SEGMENT, BUT WE DO WANT TO ASK YOU GREG, HOW THE UNEMPLOYMENT SYSTEM IS HOLDING UP RIGHT NOW FOR PEOPLE STILL CLAIMING BENEFITS HERE IN OUR STATE.

AND WOULD THAT SYSTEM BE ABLE TO DISTRIBUTE THESE BENEFITS AGAIN, EVEN IF THE COURT SIDE WITH THE PLAINTIFFS HERE?

>>TO ANSWER YOUR SECOND QUESTION FIRST, THAT'S THE BIG FEAR, WOULD THEY EVEN BE ABLE TO GET TO IT?

TO ANSWER YOUR FIRST QUESTION, TERRIBLY.

TERRIBLY.

IT IS AS BAD TODAY AS IT WAS IN MARCH AND APRIL AND JUNE OF LAST YEAR.

THOUSANDS ARE STILL HAVING ISSUES.

JUST ABOUT A WEEK AGO, DEO ANNOUNCED A MONTH PLUS LONG DATA BREACH IN WHICH 58,000 CLAIMANTS POTENTIALLY HAD THEIR PERSONAL INFORMATION HACKED AND STOLEN.

DEO SAYS THEY HAVE JUST 22 EMPLOYEES DEDICATED TO FRAUD INVESTIGATIONS.

22, WHILE THEY'RE NOW DEALING WITH 58,000 POTENTIAL PEOPLE WITH FRAUDULENT CLAIM ISSUES THAT THEY ARE NOW HAVING TO PICK UP WITH THE OTHER ISSUES.

BUT PEOPLE CAN'T GET THROUGH TO THE DEO CALL CENTER AND THERE SEEMS TO BE LITTLE PUBLICLY TOLD ON WHAT THE AGENCY'S DOING TO CLEAR UP THESE CLAIM ISSUES.

>>SO MUCH FRUSTRATION STILL AFTER ALL THIS TIME.

AND WHAT A WEEK WE HAD WITH THIS PANDEMIC.

THAT IS ALL THE TIME WE HAVE THIS WEEK ALTHOUGH WE COULD HAVE TALKED FOR HOURS.

MANY THANKS TO ALEXA LORENZO FROM WFTV AND GREG ANGEL FROM SPECTRUM NEWS 13.

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

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