>>THIS WEEK ON NEWSNIGHT, AS THE UK VARIANT OF COVID-19 GAINS A FOOTHOLD IN FLORIDA, WHAT WILL IT MEAN FOR VACCINATION EFFORTS?

THE GOVERNOR PROMISES TO FULLY FUND AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT WILL IT BE ENOUGH TO TACKLE A CRISIS WORSENED BY THE PANDEMIC?

AND WE'LL LOOK AT THE SETBACKS FACED BY FLORIDA CHILDREN AS COVID-19 TAKES ITS TOLL ON ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT.

NEWSNIGHT STARTS NOW.

♪ MUSIC ♪ >>HELLO, I'M NANCY ALVAREZ.

AND WELCOME ONCE AGAIN TO NEWSNIGHT, WHERE WE TAKE A 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 TO DISCUSS THESE IMPORTANT ISSUES, THE PEOPLE COVERING THESE STORIES EVERY SINGLE DAY.

JOINING US THIS WEEK, MY FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE FROM WFTV CHANNEL 9, DARLENE JONES AND ABE ABORAYA FROM 90.7 WMFE AND HEALTH NEWS FLORIDA.

THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

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

SO FIRST TONIGHT, THE CORONAVIRUS, OF COURSE.

THE CDC THIS WEEK REPORTED FLORIDA HAS THE COUNTRY'S LARGEST NUMBER OF DETECTED CASES OF B117, THE UK VARIANT OF COVID.

IT COMES AS RETAIL PHARMACIES IN FLORIDA RECEIVED THEIR FIRST DOSES OF VACCINE DIRECTLY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

>>WHEN IT COMES TO THE UK VARIANT OF COVID-19, FLORIDA IS FARING WORST IN THE NATION.

OUR STATE PASSED 200 DETECTED CASES OF B117 THIS WEEK.

BUT THAT NUMBER IS LIKELY A SIGNIFICANT UNDER COUNT BECAUSE THE US DOES NOT DO MUCH GENOMIC SURVEILLANCE COMPARED TO SOME OTHER COUNTRIES.

A STUDY PUBLISHED LAST WEEKEND SHOWS THE UK STRAIN IS DOUBLING ALMOST EVERY NINE DAYS IN FLORIDA, FASTER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.

>>ONE, TWO, THREE.

>>B117 IS BELIEVED TO ACCOUNT FOR ABOUT 4 1/2% PERCENT OF ALL CASES IN FLORIDA AND THE CDC FORECAST IT'S LIKELY TO BECOME THE DOMINANT STRAIN BY MARCH.

>>ONE, TWO, THREE.

>>AS FLORIDA SEES A DECLINE IN CASES AND HOSPITALIZATIONS, SCIENTISTS ARE KEEPING AN EYE ON HOW DIFFERENT STRAINS MAY CHANGE THE TREND.

THE CDC PREDICTS THAT AS VACCINATIONS INCREASE, COVID-19 CASES WILL DECLINE FURTHER, BUT AT A MUCH SLOWER RATE THAN THEY WOULD WITHOUT THE VARIANTS.

SCIENTISTS SAY THERE COULD BE ANOTHER SURGE BEFORE THINGS GET BETTER AND THAT THE BEST WAY TO CONTROL THE VARIANTS IS TO CONTROL THE TRANSMISSION OF ALL TYPES OF COVID-19.

>>THE MAJOR CONCERN ABOUT THE VARIANTS IS THAT THEY GAIN THESE ADVANTAGES THAT EITHER MAKE THEM MORE VIRULENT OR DEADLY TO PEOPLE OR THAT THEY GAIN A BETTER WAY TO INFECT PEOPLE OR SPREAD FASTER.

AND SO, THE MORE THAT THEY SPREAD AND THE FASTER THAT THEY SPREAD, THE HARDER IT IS FOR US TO BE ABLE TO CONTROL THE PANDEMIC WITH OUR VACCINATIONS.

SO, UNTIL EVERYONE IS PROTECTED, NO ONE IS PROTECTED BECAUSE EVERY INFECTION ALLOWS FOR THE GENETIC MUTATIONS TO OCCUR.

>>MEANWHILE, THE FEDERAL PROGRAM TO SEND VACCINE DOSES DIRECTLY TO PHARMACIES GOT UNDERWAY THIS WEEK.

PUBLIX, WALMART AND WINN-DIXIE PHARMACIES WILL INITIALLY BE DISTRIBUTING THE FEDERAL DOSES IN FLORIDA, BUT THE STATES 65-AND-OLDER ELIGIBILITY RULE WILL REMAIN.

MAYOR JERRY DEMINGS SAYS 17 WALMARTS IN ORANGE COUNTY WILL EACH GET 300 DOSES OF VACCINE A DAY.

DOZENS OF HOSPITALS ARE ALSO GETTING DOSES FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, INCLUDING FOUR IN CENTRAL FLORIDA.

>>ALL RIGHT.

SO MUCH TO TALK ABOUT HERE.

SO DARLENE, LET'S START WITH YOU AND LET'S START WITH THE SUPER BOWL.

LET'S GIVE YOU A LOOK HERE AT ONE OF THE PICTURES THAT LEWIS SANTANA OF THE TAMPA BAY TIMES TWEETED OUT OF UNMASKED FANS CELEBRATING THE BUCCANEERS' WIN.

WE ALSO SAW THE BOAT PARADE AND ALL THE PEOPLE LINED UP, MANY OF THEM WITHOUT MASKS.

GOVERNOR DESANTIS SAYS, "ONLY THE NEWS MEDIA ARE WORRIED ABOUT THIS."

HE HAD SOME REALLY STRONG WORDS ABOUT THAT.

SO IS THAT TRUE?

OR HAVE MEDICAL EXPERTS WEIGHED IN AS WELL, DARLENE, ON WHAT WE SAW AFTER THE SUPER BOWL?

>>WELL, NANCY, THEY CERTAINLY HAVE.

AND EVEN IN THE WEEKS AND DAYS LEADING UP TO THE SUPER BOWL, THE BIG EVENT, THE BIG QUESTION WAS HOW DO YOU KEEP EVERYONE SAFE?

EVEN THOUGH THEY LIMITED CAPACITY THERE IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ALLOWED IN THE STADIUM, YOU'D NOW HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE CELEBRATIONS AFTERWARD.

I DON'T THINK IT'S JUST THE NEWS MEDIA WORRIED.

I THINK WHEN A LOT OF PEOPLE SAW THOSE IMAGES OF JUST PEOPLE ON BOATS BY THE DOZENS OUT THERE PARTYING, CELEBRATING, I COULDN'T FIND A PERSON IN A CROWD IN THE PICTURES THAT I LOOKED AT OR THE VIDEO WITH A MASK ON.

IT IS ALARMING, IT IS DISTURBING.

IT'S ALMOST AS THOUGH PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT THE VIRUS IS OVER NOW THAT THE VACCINE IS STARTING TO ROLL OUT, WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THIS ANYMORE.

>>YEAH, IT'S DEFINITELY CONCERNING.

ABE, WE SEEM TO BE AT THE END OF THE WINTER SPIKE AT LEAST OF THE COVID-19 CASES, BUT WHAT ARE WE HEARING ABOUT THE VARIANCE AND HOW MIGHT THAT CHANGE THE TREND GOING FORWARD?

EVERYONE'S WORRIED ABOUT THE VARIANCE.

>>ABSOLUTELY.

RIGHT NOW, THE NUMBERS ARE GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

WE'RE AVERAGING ABOUT 7,600 CASES A DAY.

IT'S DOWN 22%.

IT'S ABOUT THE SAME NATIONWIDE.

WE'RE DOWN ABOUT 25% COMPARED TO A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.

BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT THAT B117 VARIANT, THE ONE THAT WAS FIRST IDENTIFIED IN THE UK.

THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT THAT BECOMING THE DOMINANT STRAIN BY MARCH.

NOW THE GOOD NEWS ON THAT ONE IS THAT, ACCORDING TO DR. ANTHONY FAUCI AND THE CDC, THE SCIENCE-BASED LAB STUDIES LOOKING AT HOW THE ANTIBODIES REACT TO THIS ONE IS, IT SEEMS LIKE THE VACCINE IS EFFECTIVE AT THIS ONE.

IT'S THAT THEY STILL HAVE TO DO SOME STUDYING ON IT.

AND THERE ARE SOME ONGOING RESEARCH STUDIES FROM THE ORIGINAL VACCINE THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO KEEP TRACK OF IT AND HAVE A LITTLE BIT BETTER DATA GOING FORWARD.

BUT RIGHT NOW, OUT OF THE THREE BIG VARIANTS THAT ARE OF CONCERN, THE UK ONE, WHILE IT SEEMS TO BE BETTER AT SPREADING AND THERE IS SOME EVIDENCE OUT OF THE UK THAT IT MIGHT BE DEADLIER, IT DOES SEEM TO BE THE ONE THAT REACTS BEST TO THE VACCINE.

SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN A LITTLE BIT OF AN ARMS RACE WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO VACCINATE AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE CAN TO GET TO THAT HERD IMMUNITY LEVEL.

AND ONCE WE GET TO THAT, THEN HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET THINGS BACK TO A LITTLE BIT MORE LIFE AS USUAL.

NOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE KEEPING AN EYE ON, THERE'S BEEN SOME REPORTING ON THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION POTENTIALLY LOOKING AT DOMESTIC TRAVEL BANS, PARTICULARLY WITH AN EYE ON FLORIDA BECAUSE OF THAT UK VARIANT.

>>SO I WOULD JUST ADD ONE MORE THING.

I'D SUBMIT TO YOU THAT WHILE THE PEOPLE WHO WERE OUT AT THE SUPER BOWL CELEBRATIONS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT WEARING A MASK, THEY ARE ALL A PART OF A COMMUNITY.

AND SO THE VERY THING THAT WE WORRY ABOUT WITH THIS VIRUS AND THE VARIANTS IS COMMUNITY SPREAD.

AND SO WHEN YOU HAVE THAT MANY PEOPLE AT SUCH A LARGE GATHERING WITHOUT A MASK ON, YOU DO HAVE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THEM GOING BACK INTO COMMUNITY AND POTENTIALLY SPREADING A VIRUS TO OTHERS.

>>YEAH.

AND ABE, I JUST WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON WHAT DARLENE JUST SAID, JUST TO MAKE SURE, BECAUSE FROM WHAT I'M HEARING PEOPLE COULD BE CONFUSED AND WONDER WHAT THE DIFFERENCES ARE BETWEEN COVID-19 AND THEN THE VARIANTS.

YOU CAN HAVE ONE OF THE VARIANTS AND BE ASYMPTOMATIC, CORRECT?

>>THAT IS THE EXPECTATION WITH THIS.

AND GOING BACK TO THE SUPER BOWL QUESTION AS WELL, OBVIOUSLY THE PHOTOS AND VIDEOS COMING OUT OF THE TAMPA AREA, THE PEOPLE CELEBRATING AND BEFORE AND AFTER, THOSE OBVIOUSLY ARE SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT AND KIND OF LOOKING AT AND SAYING, THIS IS DEFINITELY NOT A THING YOU WANT TO SEE WHEN YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC.

BUT JUST MORE BROADLY, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT IS IF PEOPLE ARE HAVING HOME PARTIES WHERE THEY'RE BRINGING PEOPLE THAT ARE FROM OUTSIDE OF THEIR HOUSEHOLD INTO THEIR HOUSE, IF YOU'RE CONSUMING ALCOHOL, YOU'RE MORE LIKELY TO TALK LOUDLY.

YOU'RE SCREAMING INTO TELEVISION.

AND MORE SO THAN THAT, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THESE VARIANTS, WE KNOW THAT FLORIDA IS LEADING THE COUNTRY WITH THE UK VARIANT.

AND WE KNOW THAT THE TESTING RIGHT NOW IS VERY LIMITED ON THE GENOMIC TESTING.

WE'RE TESTING JUST A COUPLE 1,000 TEST RESULTS PER WEEK.

SO WE'RE OBVIOUSLY UNDER COUNTING THE AMOUNT OF THE UK VARIANT.

AND SO THESE KINDS OF EVENTS ARE SOMETHING THAT, IF IT IS AS BAD AS IT LOOKS, WE'LL SEE IT IN THE NUMBERS IN A FEW WEEKS.

>>WE WANT TO STAY ON THE TOPIC OF COVID, BUT DARLENE, LET'S SHIFT GEARS OVER TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE BECAUSE THERE'S SOME REALLY INTERESTING THINGS HAPPENING IN TALLAHASSEE.

A COUPLE OF BILLS BEING CONSIDERED BY FLORIDA LAWMAKERS ON COVID LIABILITY.

SO ONE, TO SHIELD BUSINESSES FROM LAWSUITS, THE OTHER TO PROVIDE LEGAL IMMUNITY FOR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS.

TWO REALLY INTERESTING BILLS.

LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW THOSE WOULD WORK.

>>YEAH.

AND SO WHAT YOU HAVE HERE IS A SITUATION WHERE BUSINESSES ARE CONCERNED ABOUT BEING HELD LIABLE FOR A NUMBER OF FACTORS.

SO YOU HAVE SOME BUSINESSES WHO HAVE EMPLOYEES, MAYBE THEY MAY SEE A LIABILITY THERE.

IN ADDITION, YOU HAVE BUSINESSES AND COMPANIES THAT ARE WORRIED ABOUT THEIR CLIENTS AND THOSE WHO THEY SERVE.

LET'S SAY YOU GO TO A RESTAURANT AND YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'VE PICKED UP COVID-19 FROM GOING TO A RESTAURANT.

WELL, SHOULD THAT RESTAURANT BE HELD LIABLE FOR THAT?

SO THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT FACTORS THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO GRAPPLE WITH, BUT THE BIGGEST THING IS TRYING TO RELINQUISH BUSINESSES AND COMPANIES FROM THAT LIABILITY, POTENTIALLY THAT COULD BE COMING DOWN THE ROAD.

I ALSO HEARD SOMETHING RECENTLY, I BELIEVE ON NPR, WHERE WE HAVE SEEN A DRAMATIC DECLINE IN THE NUMBER OF OSHA COMPLAINTS.

THERE ARE A LOT OF EMPLOYEES WHO ARE SIMPLY AFRAID TO SPEAK UP ABOUT THE LACK OF GUIDELINES THAT THEIR EMPLOYERS ARE FOLLOWING DURING THIS PANDEMIC.

AND SO I THINK THAT THIS LEGISLATION ALSO LENDS ITSELF TO DEALING WITH SOME ISSUES IN THAT ARENA AS WELL.

>>YEAH.

AND JUST TO REMIND YOU THAT YOU CAN JOIN THIS CONVERSATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

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

ALL RIGHT, NEXT TONIGHT, AS WE KNOW, PRESIDENT TRUMP'S SECOND IMPEACHMENT GOT UNDERWAY THIS WEEK IN WASHINGTON, BUT IT'S BEEN ANOTHER BUSY WEEK IN POLITICS IN OUR STATE, TOO, AS WE WERE JUST MENTIONING.

SO LET'S LOOK AT ANOTHER OF THOSE ISSUES UP FOR DISCUSSION IN TALLAHASSEE.

THE GOVERNOR IS PROPOSING TO SPEND HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON MAJOR HOUSING PROJECTS IN HIS BUDGET CURRENTLY BEING DEBATED BY LAWMAKERS.

THE LEGISLATURE FREQUENTLY DIPS INTO THE SADOWSKY TRUST FUND, WHICH HELPS PAY FOR STATE HOUSING PROGRAMS IN ORDER TO FINANCE OTHER PRIORITIES.

>>ONE OF TWO HOMES UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN HABITAT FOR HUMANITY'S PLANNED COMMUNITY IN PINE HILLS.

58 AFFORDABLE HOMES ARE SET TO BE COMPLETED HERE BY NEXT YEAR.

>>I QUICKLY LEARNED THAT THE COMMUNITY IS ACTUALLY REALLY CLOSE KNIT.

ALL OF THE HOME OWNERS THAT ARE CURRENTLY THERE, THEY WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS TOGETHER.

>>HANNAH NGUYEN MADE OFFERS ON THREE HOMES, GETTING REJECTED EACH TIME.

WEIGHED DOWN BY HER STUDENT DEBT AND A HOT HOUSING MARKET.

EVENTUALLY SHE QUALIFIED FOR ONE OF THE HABITAT HOUSES, BUILT IN JUST FIVE DAYS THIS MONTH.

>>I QUICKLY LEARNED THAT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS IS VERY MUCH REAL AND I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF IT.

SO I STARTED TO LOOK FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPTIONS.

AND I THINK THAT IS TRUE FOR A LOT OF OTHER COLLEAGUES THAT I TALKED TO WHO ARE IN SIMILAR SITUATION AS MYSELF.

WE GO TO SCHOOL, WE GRADUATE, WE GET A GOOD JOB.

WE PAY OFF OUR DEBT.

WE SAVE.

AND IT JUST SEEMS LIKE IT WASN'T ENOUGH FOR US TO BE ABLE TO GET INTO A HOUSE THAT WE WEREN'T GOING TO BE WORRIED THAT THE ROOF WAS GOING TO CAVE IN.

>>AMID AN UNPRECEDENTED HOUSING CRISIS, FLORIDA SENATE DEMOCRATS HAVE FILED TWO BILLS TO TACKLE COVID 19 RELATED EVICTIONS IN THE STATE.

A FEDERAL EVICTION MORATORIUM REMAINS IN PLACE UNTIL MARCH 31ST.

A NEW STUDY RELEASED BY THE SEDOWSKY COALITION SHOWS FULLY FUNDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAMS, INCLUDING ADDING BACK PREVIOUSLY VETOED FUNDS WOULD CREATE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF JOBS, GENERATE MILLIONS IN STATE REVENUES AND BILLIONS IN ECONOMIC ACTIVITY.

CENTRAL FLORIDA HAS ONE OF THE MOST ACUTE SHORTAGES OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE NATION.

THE NATIONAL LOW INCOME HOUSING COALITION SAYS THE ORLANDO KISSIMMEE SANFORD AREA IS IN THE TOP 10 METROS WITH THE MOST SEVERE SHORTAGES.

JUST 20 AFFORDABLE AND DEBATABLE RENTAL UNITS FOR EVERY 100 RENTERS.

>>WELL, TO DISCUSS THIS, I TURN TO CATHERINE STECK MCMANUS FROM HABITAT FOR HUMANITY IN GREATER ORLANDO AND OSCEOLA COUNTY.

>>METRO ORLANDO IS SHORT 91,000 UNITS FOR US TO EVEN CATCH UP WITH WHERE WE ARE TODAY, MUCH LESS WHERE ARE WE GOING TO BE IN IN 12 MONTHS, 24 MONTHS.

THE PROBLEM ALSO IS THAT WITH EVICTIONS, WHICH ARE ABOUT TO GO OFF THE CLIFF, CERTAINLY ON THE RISE AND FORECLOSURES, THAT NUMBER IS ONLY GOING TO INCREASE.

>>YEAH.

THE GOVERNOR'S ONCE AGAIN PROMISED TO FULLY FUND THE SADOWSKY FUND IN HIS BUDGET.

HOW HAS THE GOVERNOR DONE ON THE ISSUE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING SO FAR IN HIS TERM DO YOU THINK?

>>WELL, I THINK ALL OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, STARTING WITH GOVERNOR DESANTIS AND ALL THE WAY DOWN, I THINK THEY STRIVE TO DO THE RIGHT THING.

WE'RE FACING JUST UNPARALLELED LOSS OF REVENUE FOR THE STATE.

AND SO THERE HAS TO BE A BALANCE.

I WAS VERY PLEASED THOUGH THAT THE SADOWSKY COALITION CAME OUT RECENTLY WITH AN ECONOMIC STUDY TO REALLY SAY, LOOK.

FOR EVERY DOLLAR THAT THE STATE PUTS INTO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THE GOVERNMENT IS THEN GOING TO GET 40 CENTS IN RETURN.

SO WE NOW HAVE SOME TANGIBLE DATA TO BE ABLE TO SAY IT IS WORTHWHILE.

>>SO DARLENE, AS YOU KNOW, AT CHANNEL 9, WE'VE DONE EXTENSIVE REPORTING ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

LET'S TALK MORE ABOUT ALL THESE LAYERS, HOW THE PANDEMIC HAS REALLY MADE THIS WORSE.

AND OF COURSE, THE REASONS IT'S PARTICULARLY BAD HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA.

NO DOUBT, THE HIT TO OUR TOURISM INDUSTRY AND OUR LOCAL ECONOMY IS JUST ONE REASON.

>>OH, ABSOLUTELY.

A LARGE NUMBER OF THE PEOPLE IMPACTED BY THE VICTIMS AND THE LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THOSE THAT WORK IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRIES.

AS YOU HEARD THEIR REPORTING, WE ALREADY HAD AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROBLEM HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA TO BEGIN WITH.

THE PANDEMIC SIMPLY MADE IT WORSE.

AND I WOULD SAY THIS, WHEN YOU SEE ALL THE NEW HOMES BEING BUILT IN SOME OF THE SUBURBAN AREAS AND METRO AREAS HERE IN THE CENTRAL FLORIDA AREA, HOUSING PRICES ARE ALSO GOING UP WHICH MEANS THAT PEOPLE WHO COULD AFFORD A HOUSE A YEAR AGO OR TWO YEARS AGO CAN NO LONGER AFFORD A HOUSE.

AND SO NOW, THEY'RE BEING STUFFED INTO APARTMENTS, RENTAL PROPERTIES.

AND SO THEN THE LANDLORDS ARE INCREASING THOSE RENTS.

AND SO YOU HAVE SUCH [INAUDIBLE] MARKET IN THAT FACTOR AS WELL.

AND IT JUST MAKES THE EVICTION PROBLEM THAT MUCH WORSE.

>>RIGHT.

AND SPEAKING OF THE EVICTION PROBLEMS, THE FEDERAL EVICTION MORATORIUM IS DUE TO EXPIRE AT THE END OF MARCH, AS WE KNOW.

SO ABE, COULD THAT SEE A FURTHER INCREASE IN THE DEMAND FOR THESE AFFORDABLE UNITS?

THERE'S NO DOUBT.

>>ABSOLUTELY.

IT'S DEFINITELY...

I'VE HEARD IT REFERRED TO AS A CLIFF BEFORE AND I THINK THAT'S A VERY ACCURATE WAY OF LOOKING AT IT.

WE'RE EVEN SEEING NOW REPORTS OUT OF SOUTH FLORIDA THAT RIGHT NOW THE EVICTION MORATORIUM IS RUNNING THROUGH MARCH THROUGH THE CDC, BUT WE'RE SEEING THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE ON MONTH-TO-MONTH LEASES THAT SOME OF THEM ARE JUST, THEY'RE NOT BEING RENEWED AND IT'S SORT OF A WORKAROUND FOR PEOPLE BEING EVICTED.

AND SO, WE'RE STARTING TO SEE SOME OF THAT ALREADY BECAUSE WE'RE COMING UP ON A YEAR OF THIS PANDEMIC AND THE ECONOMIC IMPACTS FROM THAT.

SO AS FAR AS THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS, I THINK THE TRUE IRONY OF IT WAS THAT BEFORE THE PANDEMIC HIT, WE FINALLY HAD SOME MOMENTUM FROM ELECTED LEADERS IN CENTRAL FLORIDA ON HOUSING AND AGREEING THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING WAS SOMETHING THAT WE WERE GOING TO START FUNDING MORE AGGRESSIVELY AND WE HAD A PLAN AND THEN THE PANDEMIC HIT AND KIND OF, FRANKLY, KNEECAPPED A LOT OF THOSE PLANS.

>>SO, GOING FORWARD ONCE THE EVICTION MORATORIUM IS RUN OUT AND WE START SEEING MORE EVICTIONS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A MUCH MORE DIFFICULT AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS.

ON TOP OF THIS, THE REASON THE CDC IS DOING THESE EVICTION MORATORIUMS IS BECAUSE HOUSING IS A DETERMINANT OF HEALTH.

AND SO IF PEOPLE ARE LACKING HOUSING AND THEY'RE GETTING EVICTED AND THEY'RE HAVING TROUBLE GETTING HOUSING GOING FORWARD, THEIR ONLY OPTION VERY WELL WOULD BE LIVING IN A HOMELESS SHELTER, WHICH IS GOING TO BE CONGREGANT LIVING, WHICH IS GOING TO BE A WORST PLACE FOR TRANSMISSION OF THE VIRUS.

SO, ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT THINGS ARE VERY INTERWOVEN AND GOING FORWARD, IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE FEDERAL EVICTION MORATORIUMS.

>>YES.

AND IT CERTAINLY LOOKS LIKE WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THE SADOWSKY FUND FOR MANY YEARS TO COME AS WELL.

AND YOU CAN FIND THE TEXT OF THAT BILL ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUNDS, AS WELL AS A LINK TO THE ECONOMIC IMPACT REPORT RELEASED BY THE SADOWSKY FUND ON OUR WEBSITE AT WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

OKAY.

FINALLY, TONIGHT, SINCE THE START OF THE PANDEMIC EDUCATORS IN FLORIDA HAVE BEEN RAISING ALARMS ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE CALLING THE COVID SLIDE, THE LIKELIHOOD THAT KIDS WILL FALL BEHIND ACADEMICALLY.

FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, THOSE POTENTIAL LOSSES ARE EVEN GREATER.

SCHOOL IS WHERE THEY GET ACCESS TO CRITICAL THERAPIES THAT HELP THEM DO THINGS LIKE MOVE AND SPEAK.

HERE'S A REPORT FROM ROBBIE GAFFNEY AT WFSU IN TALLAHASSEE AS PART OF THE CLASS OF COVID-19, A PROJECT OF PUBLIC MEDIA STATIONS THROUGHOUT THE STATE, INCLUDING WUCF.

>>BRADY WILSON IS 18 AND A STUDENT AT LEON HIGH SCHOOL.

HIS MOM, DENISE WILSON, SAYS HIS TRANSITION TO ONLINE LEARNING LAST SPRING WAS A STRUGGLE FROM THE START.

>>BRADY IS A CREATURE OF HABIT.

AND I THINK A LOT OF OUR KIDS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, THEY LIKE ROUTINES AND THEY LIKE HABITS.

SO IN HIS MIND, SCHOOL HAPPENED AT SCHOOL, IN THE BUILDING.

AND HOME WAS NOT WHERE YOU DID SCHOOL.

SO IT MADE IT REALLY CHALLENGING TO GET HIM INTO A SCHOOL MODE WHEN WE WERE HERE AT HOME.

>>BRADY HAS A RARE GENETIC CONDITION CALLED PATAKI SHAFFER SYNDROME.

PEOPLE WITH THIS SYNDROME ARE OFTEN ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM AND THEY HAVE DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS.

DENISE SAYS BRADY IS DEVELOPMENTALLY AGE FIVE.

DURING THE SPRING, HE RECEIVED HIS OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, BUT REMOTELY.

AND HIS TEACHER SCHEDULED ONE-ON-ONE VIRTUAL SESSIONS WITH HIM.

>>WHAT I WOULD WIND UP DOING, BECAUSE HE WOULD GET MAD AT ME AND SAY NO SCHOOL, SO I WOULD PUT THE LAPTOP RIGHT ON HIS LAP.

AND SO HIS TEACHER WOULD GET HIS ATTENTION AND THEN SHE WOULD KIND OF SLOWLY CAJOLE HIM INTO DOING THE SCHOOLWORK.

>>STILL, WITH BRADY AWAY FROM HIS PEERS AND TEACHERS FOR SO LONG, DENISE SAYS HE BEGAN STRUGGLING TO COMMUNICATE.

>>THE FULL SENTENCES WEREN'T AS COMPLEX AND WEREN'T AS MUCH OF A SENTENCE AS THEY WERE MORE LIKE TWO WORD SENTENCES.

NOW THAT HE'S BACK IN SCHOOL, HE'S USING THOSE FULL SENTENCES AGAIN.

WE FELT LIKE IT WAS BEST FOR OUR FAMILY TO SEND HIM BACK TO THE CLASSROOM.

HE'S VERY, VERY HEALTHY.

SO HE DOESN'T HAVE ANY ISSUES THAT WOULD CAUSE HIM TO GET MORE ILL IF HE WERE TO CONTACT COVID.

>>I'VE NOTICED THE ONES THAT HAVE NOT RETURNED, ARE STAYING HOME DIGITAL, THEY'RE MISSING OUT ON THE SOCIAL INTERACTIONS.

BUT I CAN TELL IT'S MADE THEM... THEIR SPEECH HAS CHANGED AND THEY'RE NOT GETTING GOOD PRACTICE AT CONVERSING WITH PEOPLE.

>>ADVOCATES FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES SAY SOCIALIZING ISN'T THE ONLY THING KIDS MISSED OUT ON WHEN SCHOOL BUILDINGS WERE CLOSED.

SOME ALSO DIDN'T GET THE CRITICAL SERVICES THEY NEED LIKE PHYSICAL, OCCUPATIONAL AND SPEECH THERAPY.

BEING ABLE TO GET THOSE THERAPIES AT HOME MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE FOR ISABELLE DIETZ.

SHE'S FIVE YEARS OLD AND GOES TO THE DESOTO TRAIL ELEMENTARY.

SHE HAS GAND, A RARE DISORDER THAT AFFECTS BRAIN DEVELOPMENT.

ISABELLE COMMUNICATES THROUGH HAND GESTURES AND VISUAL CARDS, AND SHE'S LEARNING AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE.

>>ISABELLE WAS IN PRESCHOOL AT THAT TIME.

SHE WAS FOUR.

SO THAT SHIFTED THE FOCUS TO HOMESCHOOLING.

AND I THINK THE STRUCTURE AND STABILITY OF BEING AT HOME FOR HER WORKED REALLY WELL.

SHE LIKED TO BE HOME.

SHE LIKED TO BE WITH ME.

>>ISABEL DIDN'T REGRESS LAST SPRING BECAUSE SHE WAS ABLE TO GET HER EDUCATION AND THE THERAPY SHE NEEDED AT HOME.

I'M ROBBIE GAFFNEY IN TALLAHASSEE.

>>WELL, TO TALK MORE ABOUT THE CLASS OF COVID 19 PROJECT, I SPOKE WITH THE PROJECT'S EDITOR, JESSICA BATEMAN.

>>THE TERM COVID SLIDE IS KIND OF A RIFF ON THE TERM SUMMER SLIDE.

BUT WITH THIS YOU'VE HAD SITUATIONS WHERE FAMILIES, PARENTS ARE LOSING THEIR JOBS.

FAMILIES ARE STRUGGLING TO FIND ENOUGH FOOD.

MAYBE THEY ARE IN UNSTABLE HOUSING SITUATIONS.

THEY'VE HAD TO MOVE AROUND A LOT.

THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO PAY FOR THE INTERNET OR TO HAVE THE DEVICES THEY NEED FOR VIRTUAL LEARNING.

IT'S REALLY HARD FOR STUDENTS TO DO WELL IN SCHOOL RIGHT NOW.

>>SO, DECIDING WHICH GROUPS TO LOOK AT THAT ARE MOST IMPACTED BY THE COVID SLIDE, WHAT AREAS DID YOU DECIDE TO FOCUS ON AND WHY?

>>WELL, WE REALLY TRIED TO DO WAS LOOK AT THE MOST VULNERABLE STUDENTS AND SEE HOW THE PANDEMIC HAS MADE THINGS EVEN WORSE FOR THEM.

A LOT OF THESE PROBLEMS ARE NOT NEW.

FOOD INSECURITY OR HUNGER, THAT'S NOT NEW.

HOWEVER, IN THE CONTEXT OF THE PANDEMIC, THINGS LIKE TRANSPORTATION, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD, ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE AND MENTAL HEALTH CARE AND TECHNOLOGY, ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE EDUCATION ISSUES BECAUSE THEY ARE ALL BARRIERS TO STUDENTS GETTING A QUALITY EDUCATION RIGHT NOW.

SO WITH A SERIES, CLASS OF COVID 19, WE WANTED TO LOOK AT SOME OF THOSE ISSUES AND ALSO WE WANTED TO JUMP AROUND TO DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE STATE TO REALLY SHOW VIEWERS AND LISTENERS AND READERS, THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM THAT'S HAPPENING EVERYWHERE.

>>JESSICA, THE GOVERNOR SAID LAST YEAR, HE BELIEVES CLOSING SCHOOL CAMPUSES IN THE SPRING OF 2020 MAY HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE NATION'S BIGGEST PUBLIC HEALTH MISTAKES.

DO YOU THINK WE CAN DRAW ANY CONCLUSIONS FROM THIS REPORTING THAT WE'VE DONE ABOUT WHETHER FLORIDA DID THE RIGHT THING WITH ALL THE PROBLEMS THAT KIDS HAVE FACED OVER THE LAST YEAR?

>>I THINK THAT THERE ARE CLEARLY LEGITIMATE ARGUMENTS ON BOTH SIDES OF THAT DISCUSSION.

FROM WHAT WE KNOW NOW, IT DOESN'T LOOK AS IF THE CORONAVIRUS IS SPREADING WIDELY IN SCHOOLS, BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE CONSEQUENCES OF SCHOOL CLOSURES HAVE BEEN DIRE.

THERE IS AN INTENSE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS AMONG CHILDREN THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, UPTICKS IN SUICIDE RATES AMONG CHILDREN OR AMONG YOUNG ADULTS.

>>YEAH.

AND WHAT ARE EDUCATORS TELLING YOU ABOUT THE FUTURE AND HOW MUCH THIS COVID SLIDE CAN BE MADE UP BY THE STUDENTS THAT HAVE FALLEN SO FAR BEHIND?

IT REALLY SEEMS LIKE A MOUNTAIN TO CLIMB.

>>I CAN'T SAY I'VE HEARD A LOT OF OPTIMISM.

I THINK IT'S HARD FOR ANYBODY TO BE OPTIMISTIC RIGHT NOW.

I THINK THAT CERTAINLY SOME, MAYBE MANY STUDENTS WILL RECOVER EDUCATIONALLY FROM THIS.

THERE ARE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT SUMMER SCHOOL AND THAT SORT OF THING, REMEDIATION FOR STUDENTS.

I KNOW THAT THE STATE LEGISLATURE IS CURRENTLY DISCUSSING A PROPOSAL THAT WOULD ALLOW PARENTS TO CHOOSE TO RETAIN THEIR STUDENTS IN THE CURRENT GRADE.

SO I THINK THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE WE DON'T KNOW YET.

BUT I CERTAINLY THINK THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THE STATE GOVERNMENT AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO SERIOUSLY RAMP UP IN PLANNING AND FUNDING PROGRAMS TO HELP THESE CHILDREN OVERCOME THE ENORMOUS OBSTACLES THAT THEY'RE FACING TO SUCCESS IN SCHOOL.

OR WE COULD HAVE A GENERATION OF STUDENTS WHO THEIR ENTIRE LIFE PROSPECTS IN TERMS OF THEIR POTENTIAL OF GOING TO COLLEGE OR GETTING A GOOD PAYING JOB AND HAVING A COMFORTABLE, HEALTHY LIFE COULD BE... THAT'S REALLY AT RISK RIGHT NOW.

>>AND WE'LL HAVE MORE FROM THE CLASS OF COVID-19 PROJECT NEXT WEEK ON NEWSNIGHT, AND BE SURE TO TUNE IN FOR AN HOUR LONG SPECIAL PROGRAM ON THE CHALLENGES FACING FLORIDA'S CHILDREN DURING THE PANDEMIC TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23RD, AT 5:00 PM HERE ON WUCF AND FEBRUARY 21ST AT 6:00 AM ON WUCF FM.

YOU CAN ALSO FIND MORE AT CLASSOFCOVID.ORG.

NANCY?

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

MY THANKS TO DARLENE JONES OF WFTV CHANNEL 9 AND ABE ABORAYA FROM 90.7 WMFE AND HEALTH NEWS FLORIDA.

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

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