Debate over masks in Volusia schools sparks mother to start petition wesh.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from wesh.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The last normal thing Dr. Asal Johnson did before the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc in Florida was stand at the front of her classroom at Stetson University with a room full of students.
“I very much miss the environment when we could all work together in class,” said the epidemiology professor. “I find it very challenging and time-consuming to teach subjects such as epidemiology or statistics through Zoom.”
March 7 marked the one-year anniversary of the first case of coronavirus in Volusia County reported on a Saturday night during the first weekend of Bike Week. (It turned out the person never made it to Bike Week, but was in St. Johns County.) The first two cases in Florida were reported on March 1 in Hillsborough and Manatee counties.
Ormond Beach resident Robin Hayes doesn’t see the point in wearing a mask while out in public or shopping at her favorite stores.
“I just hate them; I don’t breathe well, my glasses get foggy and most importantly, I think it does zero good,” Hayes said. “I am always more than 6 feet away from everyone and very conscious of washing my hands and not being near people I don’t live with, so I see no point in walking around with a mask on because they tell us to.”
If a store employee tells her to put on a mask, she turns around and walks right back out.
Trump travel ban separates Volusia Florida Muslim families during COVID news-journalonline.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from news-journalonline.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Coronavirus kicked into full gear in January, resulting in Florida s highest increase in COVID-19 cases and deaths since the pandemic began.
The state reported 382,026 new coronavirus cases in January. That’s a 10% increase from the 345,762 cases reported in December, now the second-highest increase in cases, and a 20% increase from the 317,952 cases reported in July, once considered the peak of the pandemic.
Florida reported 4,589 new coronavirus deaths in January. That’s a 5% increase from the 4,344 new deaths reported in July, the only other month to exceed 4,000 deaths.
This includes holiday shopping, increased travel, family gatherings and short timing between Christmas and New Years gatherings.