Photo: SpaceX
Artist's rendering of the Crew Dragon spacecraft docking with the International Space Station.
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Monday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
NASA astronauts are set to launch from American soil for the first time in almost a decade
NASA and SpaceX have set a date. The first launch of astronauts from American soil in nearly a decade is scheduled to take off on May 27 at 4:32 p.m from Kennedy Space Center’s launch complex 39A. The highly anticipated mission will take NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the International Space Station on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon astronaut capsule and the company’s Falcon 9 rocket, outfitted with NASA’s 1970s “worm” logo to commemorate the milestone. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]
Restaurant closings inflict collateral damage on Florida produce farmers
Florida vegetable and fruit farmers are just a few of the many Americans struggling to find new revenue sources after restaurants were forced to close Social distancing and virus infections have also broken down key parts of what is normally an international food delivery system, from produce grown in other countries, to meat-processing plants in other states, to truckers and other distribution systems. [Source: Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
Florida CEOs predict big changes when pandemic subsides
In late March, CEOs were asked: Do you anticipate any major changes to your business once this all blows over? Anita Byer, CEO of Setnor Byer Insurance & Risk, says, "I had already been considering overhead expense, and given that we are fully operational when working remotely, I do see remote work as part of our future. This also keeps the brick and mortar overhead under control." [Source: Miami Herald]
If hospitals get overwhelmed, Florida is silent on who survives
Who lives, and who dies, if coronavirus patients overwhelm hospitals and force doctors to ration beds, ventilators and care? It’s a distressing but vital question to ask during a pandemic. In Florida, however, it’s one health officials wouldn’t answer. State officials have punted this ethical dilemma to health care providers, who in response have filled the void with a patchwork of protocols as Florida nears its peak period of hospitalizations for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]
Florida schools will remain shut for rest of academic year
Florida’s schools will remain shut for the remainder of the academic year because of the coronavirus pandemic, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Saturday. “It’s obviously not the ideal situation but given where we are in the school year, it seemed the best decision to go forward,” he said at a news conference at the Capitol. The governor also released the names of long-term care and assisted living facilities where residents or staff test positive for coronavirus, ending a battle with news media outlets that had been seeking the information. More from the Orlando Sentinel and the Tampa Bay Times.
Five questions to ask your health plan during the COVID-19 pandemic
In the midst of a public health crisis, like COVID-19, it is especially important to know and understand your health insurance plan’s coverage. With the threat looming that you and your dependents might contract the illness, it will bring you peace of mind to know exactly what tests and treatments your health plan will pay for, how much you will need to pay out-of-pocket and any restrictions that may or may not apply. [Sponsored report]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Maker of essential N95 masks says it’s targeting Florida’s fraudsters and profiteers
The company that makes the coveted N95 masks needed by healthcare workers during the coronavirus pandemic has taken notice of the frenzied scramble by unconventional companies to become suppliers of the masks in Florida. This week 3M filed the first in what it says will be a series of lawsuits in the state against what it calls fake vendors.
› Disney’s Animal Kingdom, hotel receives AZA accreditation
Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park and Animal Kingdom Lodge hotel have again received official accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, a.k.a. AZA. The AZA has a commission that regularly evaluates institutions for best standards and practices for care of animals.
› Miami’s Jackson Health System faces another threat: headhunters trying to poach its staff
Though Jackson Health System has yet to be inundated with COVID-19 patients like hospitals in the New York City metro area and elsewhere, Jackson officials say they don’t feel they’re out of the woods yet, with looming threats of a delayed surge or an outbreak in the healthcare system itself. But staffing agencies have mounted attempts to poach the public hospital’s most crucial workers, even as the novel coronavirus upends operations and mashes its bottom line.
› Sarasota Ballet marks 30th anniversary
The last season may not have ended quite the way Sarasota Ballet Director Iain Webb intended with the company’s final two productions canceled because of the coronavirus. And there are still a lot of questions about how and when performing arts organizations will be back on stage. But Webb is looking forward to his company’s upcoming 30th anniversary with a lot of pride and optimism.
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