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Florida’s trend for new COVID-19 cases continued to improve Tuesday as 21,208 new cases were reported. While high, the total was still more than 500 fewer cases than a week ago. Florida’s weekly trend for daily cases stands just above 21,000. Furthermore, hospitalizations continued to decline from peak levels in Florida as well with 17,088 Floridians hospitalized due to COVID-19 on Tuesday.
On the 2nd day of the trial involving the state’s mandate regarding the parental choice for masks being worn by their children in school, judge John Cooper removed plaintiffs from the suit who didn’t live in one of the counties in question. The suit was brought by parents in Alachua, Hillsborough, Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, Pinellas, and Orange Counties. It was determined that only plaintiffs from those counties have standing in this case. The state-centered its defense on Tuesday around Florida’s new law, the Parents’ Bill of Rights which states parents retain authority over all health care decisions regarding their children.
Lastly, Palm Beach County and West Palm Beach officials are in talks with the University of Florida regarding the potential to bring a graduate school campus to West Palm Beach. The talks are the first step in what would be a protracted multi-year process, though there appears to be mutual interest.