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Florida Governor digs in against mask mandates while the state sets infection records

In this Jan. 5, 2021, file photo, cars line up for COVID-19 testing outside Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. Coronavirus hospitalizations are falling across the United States, but deaths have remained stubbornly high.

 Wilfredo Lee / AP Photo

In this Jan. 5, 2021, file photo, cars line up for COVID-19 testing outside Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. Coronavirus hospitalizations are falling across the United States, but deaths have remained stubbornly high.

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Airdate: Thursday, August 12, 2021

The number of COVID-19 cases are breaking records in Florida. Hospitalization rates are, as well. In fact, the number of patients hospitalized this month with the Coronavirus has surpassed the numbers from a year ago when there were no vaccines available.

Governor Ron DeSantis is doubling down on his position banning mask mandates for schools, even going so far as to threaten pay cuts to those who impose mandatory masking.

Mary Ellen Klas, is the Miami Herald Tallahassee bureau chief and she appears on Smart Talk Thursday to discuss what’s happening in Florida and why it matters here.

For more on public health issues plus a deeper look at the changing tide of healthcare–check out WITF’s Transforming Health. Online at TransformingHealth.org, a partnership of WITF, WellSpan Health and Capital Blue Cross.

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