breaking news today, a story we have been following for the past few weeks, a florida judge ruling that governor ron desantis order banning mask mandates in schools is unconstitutional saying local school boards have the right to set their own policies like mask requirements, a major defeat for the governor who has insisted only parents can decide whether their children wear masks. the state of florida is making another grim milestone yesterday alone reporting over 900 deaths. the state s largest single day increase since the pandemic began. nationwide the picture isn t looking great either. more than 100,000 covid patients are hospitalized right now, the highest number since january before vaccines were widely available to the public. joining us now msnbc medical contributor bedalia, the founding director of the boston university center for emerging infectious diseases policy and research. more than half of florida