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Florida Department of Health

Pasco health department seeks community help

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The Florida Department of Health in Pasco County is reaching out to physicians and pharmacists to help provide COVID-19 vaccine to eligible Florida residents.

“As more COVID-19 vaccine becomes available and more people become eligible to receive it, more people will want to book appointments as quickly as possible,” Mike Napier, the county’s health officer, said in a news release.

“It’s just a matter of time before everyone who wants a shot can get one, and we need to work with our community doctors and pharmacists to make that happen,” Napier said.

To become a Vaccine for Adult (VFA) provider, physicians and pharmacists need to sign up for the Florida SHOTS program at FLShotsUsers.com. Those that are already a Florida SHOTS provider can log into their account and visit the COVID-19 enrollment page.

Pasco County continues to make progress in its efforts.

The county also is asking pediatricians to plan ahead for the time when vaccinations will be available to children.

For additional information, call the COVID-19 Vaccine Enrollment Desk at (833) 701-1397, or email .

For information about vaccine storage, handling and administration, visit CDC.gov/vaccines/covid-19/hcp/faq.html.

Published April 7, 2021

COVID-19 vaccinations in high demand

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As the number of positive COVID-19 cases and deaths continue to rise, frustration is mounting among people eager to get vaccinated to protect themselves from the deadly virus.

So far, demand for vaccines is outpacing supply in both Pasco and Hillsborough counties — and when tickets are available to receive a vaccine, they are quickly snapped up.

Land O’ Lakes resident Jeff Cordover said he was finally able to get through, and he and his wife, Judy, were able to get their first dose of the vaccine.

Once there, the process went smoothly, Cordover said.

“The wait wasn’t bad. We had a 3 o’clock appointment, and we maybe waited 20 minutes or so,” Cordover said.

But his wife, Judy, said improvements are needed to make it less confusing to register for a vaccine.

“Getting the vaccine wasn’t the problem. The problem was getting into the computer to get the registration to get the vaccine,” she said.

The Florida Department of Health in Pasco County is offering vaccinations by appointment only to those age 65 and older.

Registering for the vaccine must be done through the department’s website.

Those wishing to obtain a vaccine are encouraged to check the website frequently for updates of when new registrations are being accepted. The sign-ups are based on vaccine supplies.

No new registrations were being accepted on the morning of Jan. 11.

Pasco County residence is not required, but snowbirds must remain in Pasco County for their second round — which is 28 days after the first appointment, the website says.

The health department’s current drive-thru vaccination clinic is at Sears in the Gulfview Square Mall, at 9409 U.S. 19 in Port Richey. However, efforts are underway to add a site in East Pasco, according to the health department.

To find out specifics for registering for a vaccine, check the website’s section on frequently asked questions.

Also, keep checking the website to find out if more vaccines have become available and more registrations are being accepted. The website is Pasco.FloridaHealth.gov.

Registration for vaccinations is free.

Pasco health department officials have issued a warning to make sure that people sign up on Eventbrite, using the link from the health department’s website.  Someone has set up a fake account, in an attempt to scam people, the website says.

Hillsborough County, in partnership with the Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County, will begin a second round of COVID-19 vaccinations this week for residents age 65 and older. Hillsborough has allocated 9,000 doses of the vaccine to be administered at three distribution sites from Jan. 13 through Jan. 15.

Appointments will be scheduled online by CDR HealthPro™ portal and by phone on Jan. 12. Residents age 65 and older can only make their appointments during the designated time frame specific to their age group.

Residents can visit HCFLGov.net/vaccine for additional information and updates.

Hillsborough has been using four distribution sites.

The two closest to The Laker/Lutz News coverage area are at: Ed Radice Sports Complex, 14720 Ed Radice Drive in Tampa, and at the University Mall parking lot, 2200 E. Fowler Ave., in Tampa.

While vaccination efforts continue, concerns are rising over the increased spread of COVID-19, and the rising number of deaths.

The Washington Post reported last week that the United States had marked another milestone in the pandemic, recording more than 4,000 deaths in a single day. It also reported that research suggested that people who have no symptoms transmit more than half of cases of COVID-19.

CNN, reporting data from Johns Hopkins University, said it took about 90 days for the United States to reach its first 2 million cases of coronavirus in 2020; this year, it took just 10 days to hit 2.2 million cases.

While Americans were warned about avoiding indoor gatherings, officials said they did just the opposite during the holidays — gathering with friends or extended family, which has resulted in packed hospitals across the country, according to CNN’s report.

COVID statistics, available as of Jan. 11, 10:30 a.m.

United States: Positive cases – 22,102,069; deaths – 371,084
Florida: Total cases: 1,477,010; including positive residents, 1,450,620; Florida resident deaths, 22,912; non-resident deaths, 349
Pasco County: 24,712 positive residents; 230 positive non-residents; 406 deaths
Hillsborough County: 85,784 positive residents; 725 positive non-residents; 1,121 deaths
Pasco County Schools: 1,067 student cases (13,251 students impacted); 506 staff cases (1,153 employees impacted)
Hillsborough County Schools: 3,341 positive cases, including 1,265 employees and 2,076 students.

Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Florida Department of Health; Pasco County Schools and Hillsborough County Schools.

Published January 13, 2021

Premier adds dental clinic space

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Premier Community Health Care Group Inc., will share clinic space with the Florida Department of Health in New Port Richey, and will provide dental services to insured and uninsured children throughout Pasco County.

The Pasco County Commission approved a lease agreement between the county and the health care agency at its Nov. 17 meeting.

In lieu of rent, commissioners will require an annual report each Oct. 1 detailing the number of children served. Premier Community Health Care also will pay $421 a month as its share of utilities.

The lease expires on Dec. 31, 2021. However, there are three one-year options to extend the lease.

The clinic is located in Building A, 10841 Little Road, in New Port Richey.

County commissioners agreed to the lease at the request of health department officials “to ensure dental services continue for school-age children throughout the county,” according to agenda documents.

Published December 23, 2020

Learning options go on, in Florida

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Parents will continue to have the choice of keeping their children at home for remote learning through the second semester of the school year.

Gov. Ron DeSantis and Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran made that announcement during a joint news conference on Nov. 30.

Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning also discussed the state’s new executive order during the Pasco County School Board’s Dec. 1 meeting.

The order “does allow for the continuation of the mySchool Online learning model,” Browning said. “It also does hold school districts harmless, financially, and I would add, with some caveats. We are still working through the details of the order, as it relates to the financial matters.”

The district must submit a plan to the state by Dec. 15, which outlines how it will identify struggling students and provide learning supports.

“Needless to say, staff is working feverishly to not just submit a report, or a plan, but submit a plan that represents how we’re going to support all of our students, and especially the struggling students,” Browning said.

“The plan will require specific steps for progress monitoring,” the superintendent added.

The plan will cover how the district plans to take “even more aggressive steps” in identifying students that are not having success, Browning said.

The district will be making contact with those parents, who then will have a choice between sending their student, or students, back to the traditional brick-and-mortar model, or to continue on with mySchool Online.

If they want to continue remote learning, they must make that affirmative choice.

“That is going to add another level of complexity,” Browning said.

“I will tell you, there will be a district-wide approach to this. There will not be different procedures in different schools,” the superintendent said. The procedure for identifying struggling students and notifying parents will be the same, he explained.

School board member Colleen Beaudoin asked the district to provide additional support for secondary teachers who are in schools where a significant number of notifications will have to be made.

Browning responded: “That is one of the issues that we’re trying to figure out.”

The district also is working on the best approach for notifications to parents.

“Do we send a certified letter home to moms and dads, with a return receipt, so we have written confirmation that they received it. Do we make phone calls? Who makes those phone calls? What information are we sharing with them? What is the measure of success?

“Those are all issues that we’re having to deal with, with guidance from Tallahassee,” Browning said.

While the district works this out, some other district tasks are being put on hold, he added.

Beaudoin said her perception of the press conference was that the state would like to get students back into traditional classrooms.

Browning agreed: “We do know that the Commissioner (Corcoran) was pretty clear yesterday, in his assessment about kids that are struggling: They need to be back in bricks-and-mortar environment.”

But, Browning said he’s pleased the state is continuing to give parents the choice.

“I will tell you that I understand, with where we find ourselves with COVID, particularly on Dec. 1, 2020, I understand why there are parents that do not want to come back into a bricks-and-mortar environment,” he said.

The superintendent went on: “The numbers, because of the measures and steps that we’ve taken as a district, have been relatively low.”

In fact, the number of positive cases among students is about ½ of 1%, he said.

In large part, the cases on campus are not resulting from spread at school, but are originating elsewhere, Browning said.

At one high school, for example, about a dozen students were sent home that were directly tied to a birthday party, he said.

“You go to parks and ballfields, and you will see full parks and ballfields — and I might add, with no masks, or very few masks,” the superintendent said.

Browning also noted that he’s been in constant contact with Mike Napier, the health officer for the Florida Department of Health — Pasco County.

“He’s concerned about the direction that we’re headed — not we, as a district, but we, as a community, are headed with COVID cases,” Browning said.

Board member Beaudoin urged parents to help ensure their children’s success.

Browning said the district needs to give assurances to Tallahassee that it is adding additional supports, and those supports, he said won’t be cheap.

“Miss (Olga) Swinson (chief finance officer), and I, and others — we talk about the funding piece and how we are going to be able to get the dollars that we’re going to need to have in order to provide these supports that the department expects us to provide to these students,” he said. “It’s a sticky wicket.”

School board member Alison Crumbley said the district needs to analyze why students are struggling. “We need to break it down,” she said.

Published December 09, 2020

Public asked to do more to help in COVID-19 battle

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Increasing COVID-19 cases in Tampa Bay has prompted the Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties to urge members to help fight the spread.

Those officials are asking the public to follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to prevent the spread of COVID-19 during quarantine or isolation.

Quarantine is used to keep someone who might have been exposed to COVID-19 away from others, says a news release issued by the health department.

Quarantine can help prevent the spread of disease that can occur before a person knows they are sick or if they are infected with the virus without feeling symptoms.
People who have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19 need to quarantine. In addition, if someone has been tested but unaware of exposure, they should remain in quarantine until they receive a negative result, the news release says.

People in quarantine, including those who feel sick and/or are waiting for test results, should stay home, separate themselves from others, monitor their health, and follow directions from their state or local health department.
The Tampa Bay health departments shared the CDC’s guidance.

Close contact means:

  • You were within 6 feet of someone who has COVID-19 for a total of 15 minutes or more
    • You provided care at home to someone who is sick with COVID-19
    • You had direct physical contact with the person (hugged or kissed them)
    • You shared eating or drinking utensils
    • They sneezed, coughed or somehow got respiratory droplets on you
    During quarantine:
  • Stay home for at least 14 days (check current guidance) after your last contact with a person who has COVID-19.
    • Watch for fever (100.4F), cough, shortness of breath, or other symptoms of COVID-19.
    • If possible, stay away from others, especially people who are at higher risk for getting very sick from COVID-19.
    Isolation is used to separate people who are infected with COVID-19 from those who are not.

People who are in isolation should stay home until it’s safe for them to be around others. 
In the home, if you are sick or infected:

• Monitor symptoms.
• Stay in a separate room from other household members, if possible.
• Use a separate bathroom, if possible.
• Avoid contact with other members of the household and pets.
• Don’t share personal household items, such as cups, towels and utensils.
• Wear a mask when around other people, if possible.

If you live with someone with COVID-19:

• Try to stay at least 6 feet away from the sick person.
• If you have to share space, make sure the room has good air flow.
• Open the window to increase air circulation.
• Improve ventilation to help remove respiratory droplets from the air.
• Avoid having unnecessary visitors.
If you are caring for someone with COVID-19 at home or in a non-health care setting:
• The person who is sick should eat (or be fed) in their room, if possible.
• Wash dishes and utensils using gloves and hot water: handle any dishes, cups/glasses or silverware used by the person who is sick with gloves. Wash them with soap and hot water or in a dishwasher.
• Clean hands after taking off gloves or handling used items.
• Do not share dishes, cups/glasses, silverware, towels, bedding, or electronics (like a cellphone) with the person who is sick.
• The person who is sick should wear a mask when they are around other people (Masks should not be placed on young children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is not able to remove the covering without help.)
• The caregiver should put on a mask and ask the sick person to put on a mask before entering the room.
• Wear gloves when you touch or have contact with the sick person’s blood, stool or body fluids, such as saliva, mucus, vomit and urine. Throw out gloves into a lined trash can and wash your hands right away.
• Practice everyday preventive actions to keep from getting sick: wash your hands often; avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth; and, frequently clean and disinfect surfaces.
• Clean and disinfect “high-touch” surfaces and items every day: This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, handles, desks, toilets, faucets, sinks and electronics.

The Florida Department of Health encourages individuals to discuss any questions or concerns with their primary care provider.

For more information to help prevent household spread of COVID-19, go to CDC.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/index.html.

For more information on how to protect yourself and others from COVID-19, visit CDC.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/.

For general information on COVID-19 in Florida, visit FloridaHealth.gov/covid-19, email , or call 866-779-6121.

Published December 09, 2020

Florida is closing in on 1 million COVID-19 cases

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Experts are predicting that Florida will hit the 1 million mark in positive COVID-19 cases this week, and there are concerns nationwide about the impacts from potential spread that may have occurred during the Thanksgiving holidays.

The Florida Department of Health had recorded more than 992,660 positive cases of COVID-19, including 976,944 positive residents, according to health department figures available on the morning of Nov. 30.

The death toll stood at 18,500 for Florida residents and 236 for non-residents, according to the same report.

Hillsborough County had 57,673 positive cases, involving county residents, and 419 cases involving non-residents. The county has recorded 929 deaths related to COVID-19.

In Pasco County, there were 14,643 positive cases involving residents, and 140 involving non-residents. The death toll stood at 271.

The latest figures for the Pasco and Hillsborough public school districts had not yet been updated, since the districts were out for the Thanksgiving break.

The most recent figures from those districts show that there had been 475 student cases and 177 staff cases in Pasco County Schools. The positive cases affected a total of 8,265 students and 719 staff, who had to be quarantined.

In Hillsborough Public Schools, there was a total of 1,585 positive cases, including 640 staff members and 945 students.

Across the country, millions of Americans stuck to their plans to travel over the Thanksgiving holidays, despite pleas from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for them to stay home.

At Tampa International Airport, 40,000 passengers streamed through checkpoints on the Sunday before Thanksgiving — the greatest number since air traffic plunged in late March and early April, due to the pandemic, according to Emily Nipps, the airport’s manager of communications.

“To put it in perspective, we saw around 80,000 passengers on our busy days this time last year. So we’re still barely seeing about half of the traffic we saw this time in 2019. However, we’re way up from the few thousand daily passengers we saw at our low point in April,” Nipps said, via email.

She also noted that “the Saturday and Sunday after Thanksgiving are always our busiest – we ‘think’ we’ll see between 40,000 and 50,000 passengers on those days, though our projections are not as accurate as they’ve been in years past because of the uncertainty of travelers, COVID, cancellations, etc.”

Meanwhile, the state health department, the Florida Hospital Association, the Florida Medical Association and health insurance companies are urging the public to get flu shots. The groups want to help prevent severe illnesses and to keep Florida’s health care system from being overwhelmed by flu and COVID-19 cases.

While Florida’s positive cases approach the 1-million mark, the national figures for positive cases surpassed 13.1 million cases and the national death toll exceeded 265,000 as of the morning of Nov. 30, according to the CDC.

Internationally, the number of positive cases is approaching 62.2 million, with a death toll nearing 1.5 million, also as of the morning of Nov. 30, according to the World Health Organization.

Also, in national interviews, numerous health experts have said there may be a lag time before the extent of the impact is known, regarding the spread of COVID-19 related to Thanksgiving traveling and festivities.

Help prevent the spread of COVID-19
Avoid these high-risk activities:

  • Shopping in crowded stores
  • Attending large indoor gatherings with people from outside of your household
  • Using alcohol or drugs that may alter judgment and make it more difficult to practice COVID-19 safety measures.

Follow these safety protocols:

  • Stay 6 feet away from others
  • Wear a mask when social distancing isn’t possible
  • Wash hands frequently

Source: Florida Department of Health

Published December 02, 2020

West Nile Virus case confirmed in Hillsborough County

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The Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County (DOH-Hillsborough) has confirmed a human case of the West Nile Virus, according to a health department news release.

The health department also reported an increase in mosquito-borne disease activity, and has announced a heightened concern that additional residents may become ill.

The Hillsborough County department of Mosquito Control and Hillsborough’s health department are continuing surveillance and prevention efforts.

A human case of West Nile Virus has been confirmed in Hillsborough County. Health officials urge residents to take precautions to protect themselves from mosquito bites. (File)

The health department is reminding residents and visitors to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes and to take basic precautions to help limit exposure.

Remember the key words, drain and cover, when taking action to protect yourself.

Be sure to drain standing water to prevent mosquitoes from multiplying.

Items that should be drained include: Garbage cans, house gutters, buckets, pool covers, coolers, toys, flowerpots or any other containers where sprinkler or rainwater has collected.

Other steps that should be taken:

  • Discard old tires, drums, bottles, cans, pots and pans, broken appliances and other items that aren’t being used.
  • Empty and clean birdbaths and pet’s water bowls at least once or twice a week.
  • Protect boats and vehicles from rain with tarps that don’t accumulate water.
  • Keep pools in good condition, and be sure they are appropriately chlorinated.
  • Empty plastic swimming pools when not in use.

Also, protect yourself by covering your skin with clothing, or a repellent.

When in an area where mosquitoes are present, be sure to wear shoes, socks, and long pants and long sleeves.

Also, be sure to apply mosquito repellent to bare skin and clothing.

Use mosquito netting to protect children younger than 2 months old.

Always be sure to read the label directions on the repellent to be sure you are applying a proper amount, to people in the appropriate age group, to the right places.

Keep mosquitoes out of your house by repairing broken screens on doors or windows.

For more information on what repellent is right for you, consider using the Environmental Protection Agency’s search tool to help you choose skin-applied repellent products.

The Florida Department of Health is continuing to conduct statewide surveillance for mosquito-borne illnesses, including West Nile virus infections, Eastern equine encephalitis, St. Louis encephalitis, malaria, chikungunya and dengue.

Residents of Florida are encouraged to report dead birds, via the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s site.

West Nile Virus, symptoms and treatments

  • Eight out of 10 people infected with West Nile virus do not develop symptoms.
  • About one in five of those who are infected develop a fever with some other symptoms, such as headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea or rash.
    • Most people with West Nile virus disease recover completely, but some can experience fatigue and weakness that can last for weeks or months.
  • About one in 150 people who are infected develop a severe illness affecting the central nervous system such as encephalitis, which is inflammation of the brain, or meningitis, which is inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord.

In cases of severe illness, symptoms include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness and paralysis.

Severe illness can occur in people of any age, but those over age 60 are at a greater risk.

Also, people with certain medical conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease, and people who have received organ transplants, also are at greater risk.

Recovery from severe illness might take several weeks or months. Some effects to the central nervous system might be permanent.

About one out of 10 people who develop severe illness affecting the central nervous system die.

See your health care provider if you develop symptoms described above. Your health care provider can order tests to look for West Nile virus infection.

There is no vaccine or specific antiviral treatments for West Nile virus infection.

Over-the-counter pain relievers can be used to reduce fever and relieve some symptoms.

In severe cases, patients often need to be hospitalized to receive supportive treatment, such as intravenous fluids, pain medication, and nursing care.

If you think you or a family member might have West Nile virus disease, talk with your health care provider.

To learn more about treatment, visit our Healthcare Providers page.

Source: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Published November 18, 2020

Pasco County retains masks, for now

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After a briefing from the director of the county’s health department, the Pasco County Commission has decided to continue its mask mandate — at least for now.

Mike Napier, director of the Pasco County office of the Florida Department of Health, told commissioners at their Sept. 21 meeting that positive COVID-19 cases had been trending in the wrong direction recently.

“I wish I had better news as far as what our cases have been over the last several weeks,” Napier said. “We’ve started to see some increased number of cases,” Napier said.

Mike Napier, director of the Pasco County office of the Florida Department of Health (File)

Pasco County’s cumulative number of cases he told commissioners was 8,834 cases, as of Sept. 21, the health director reported.

“The concern here really is, we were doing pretty well back in the early part of September, averaging about 3%, as a rolling average on our positivity. Last week, it was the first time in almost a month that we got almost a 6% positivity rate and we had 1,300 cases.

“The number that should be a little bit alarming to you is that in this past week, we’ve had a 61% increase in cases in the last seven days. So, we’re headed in the wrong direction at this point,” Napier said.

“At the low mark, the county was averaging 29 cases a day — to where we are today, where we’re averaging almost 50 day, and that’s over a two-week period,” Napier said.

“I know that schools were a big question.

“We had a total of 79 students and 26 staff that have tested positive, for 105 total cases (as of Sept. 18),” he said.

“There’s a lot of criteria that goes into the determination of whether or a not a student has to be excluded or not,” Napier said.

Out of the nearly 1,400 exposures at school, there are 857 students and staff currently quarantined, but also 542 people have been released, Napier said.

The public health officer said he knows there’s a lot of interest on when it would be appropriate to lift mask mandates and social distancing restrictions.

“From public health standpoint, I have to tell you, when we have a vaccine or when we have medication to treat COVID,” Napier said. From a practical standpoint, the number of positive cases needs to be lower. “We’re at 49 averaging a day.”

“We’re trending higher in our positivity rate. We were at 3%, we’re at 4% right now. That 1% does matter,” Napier said.

He said he’s on regular conference calls with health officers and county officials around the region.

“We’re all getting the same questions, right? We’re all trying to come up with that answer.

“We are looking at a regional approach for face coverings,” Napier said.

They’re trying to reach a consensus on the numbers and benchmarks to use.

“We’re actually looking to the academics, to be able to come up with something from a regional standpoint. We know that we have a community that moves from Pasco to Pinellas, and from Pinellas into Pasco. Hernando. Hillsborough — all of those counties.”

Initially, the increase in cases stemmed from the virus spreading within families, the public health official said. But now, there’s community spread.

Labor Day could have affected the spread. It’s too early to tell whether the recent opening of bars has had an impact,  he added.

COVID-19 remains a threat
“The pandemic is not over. I understand that face coverings are inconvenient and uncomfortable, however, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association continue to support the use of face coverings to reduce the exposure of COVID-19,” Napier said.

He continued: “Just as recently as last week, the CDC director Robert Redfield said, “The best defense that we currently have against this virus are the important mitigation efforts of wearing a mask, washing your hands, social distancing and being careful around crowds.”

Commissioner Ron Oakley said most of the people he’s heard from favor continuing the requirement for masks.

“I’d say that 80% to 85% of the citizens think it’s too early to remove masks, which is good to hear because I think they realize that it’s not over, and they still need to be taking precautions,” Oakley said.

Pasco County Administrator Dan Biles said steps that have been taken to reduce the spread have been working.

“The county has seen a decrease of about 72%, in its seven-day rolling average, from its peak,” Biles said.

Commissioner Mike Wells said he’s not a big fan of wearing a mask. But, he added: “I wear a mask when I have to. It could possibly save lives.”

At the same time, he has empathy for business owners who are trying to impose the mandate.

“I’ve seen businesses get in arguments with folks. It’s just tough,” Wells said. “I’ve been in WaWa, people yelling. I’ve been in Walmart. I’ve been in Target. Folks yelling. ‘You’ve got to wear a mask. You’ve got the wrong mask,’” Wells said.

But, Wells told Napier that he respects him, and added: “I support it (the mask mandate) until you tell us otherwise.”

Napier said if the numbers were trending down, he would be in a different position.

As it stands now, he told board members he wouldn’t lift the requirement before getting another update, which is expected in October.

Published September 30, 2020

Ringing in the 2020-2021 school year

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Students streamed back to Pasco County school campuses last week to begin the 2020-2021 school year, while Hillsborough County students headed to that district’s campuses this week.

The beginning of a new school year often is steeped in tradition, but this year is a year of new routines — in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Students are arriving on campuses wearing masks, and teachers standing near open classroom doors to greet them are wearing masks, too.

Ten-year-old Veronika Patterson walks with her family to Bexley Elementary School. She’s accompanied by her mother, Melissa, her father, Mike, and her little sister, Izzy. (Randy Underhill)

Lunch tables have been moved outdoors, to reduce crowding in cafeterias and to accommodate outside classes.

Signs remind people to keep their distance, and bottles of hand sanitizer are within easy reach to encourage everyone to keep their hands clean.

And, there are protocols.

Lots of protocols.

They spell out what schools should do when there’s a confirmed case of COVID-19 and what to do when one is suspected.

In Pasco County, a partnership has been forged between the school district and the Florida Department of Health’s Pasco office.

Health department staff members are working in two portables on school district property, so they can respond quickly to COVID-19 cases.

The district also has spent substantial money, time and energy to prepare campuses for the arrival of students and staff; and, it has ramped up cleaning schedules to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The Hillsborough County school district also has increased cleaning efforts, to reduce potential spread of the virus.

Both districts also are using special care to disinfect school buses.

Pasco County Schools activated its dashboard last week, and as of 11:30 p.m. Aug. 28, the district had reported three student cases, one each at Fivay High School, Gulf High School and Moon Lake Elementary; and one employee case, at Lake Myrtle Elementary. (For more recent information, visit Pasco.k12.fl.us/news.

Hillsborough superintendent Addison Davis said that the district also will have a dashboard to keep the public informed.

The district just opened campus, on Aug. 31, so it was still too early to tell what kind of impact in-school classes would have, when The Laker/Lutz News went to press

Ray Gadd, deputy superintendent of Pasco County Schools, an educational professional for decades said: “This is definitely my first year like this.

“I think we’re going to have a great first day,” Gadd said, as he showed off Cypress Creek Middle School, on its inaugural opening day for students.

“I think our schools are well-prepared, and we’re looking forward to getting started and making the best of it,” Gadd said. But, he added, “I’d be lying, if I didn’t say I wasn’t worried about Day 2, Day 3.”

There were complaints about buses and technology on the Pasco school district’s Facebook page, but overall the district seemed to be off to a relatively smooth start.

Face-to-face instruction began this week in the Hillsborough school district, after a week of online only.

Parents line up in both directions, to drop their kids off on the first day of school at Pine View Middle School, 5334 Parkway Blvd.

Based on social media chatter from last week, it looks like there were some complaints about problems with technology.

This week offers the first real test of the district’s preparations, as it welcomes the arrival of students and staff.

Hillsborough plans to work closely with its medical partners at the University of South Florida and Tampa General Hospital, the superintendent said, during a recent school board meeting.

Like Pasco, Hillsborough has adopted numerous protocols intended to limit the spread of COVID-19 and to respond to known or suspected cases that arise.

Both Hillsborough and Pasco delayed their initial opening from Aug. 10, until Aug. 24.

Pasco chose to offer all three of its educational options on Aug. 24.

Hillsborough’s reopening plan shifted.

Initially, the school board adopted the superintendent’s plan to offer three learning options, starting on Aug. 24.

Then, after listening to a panel of medical experts, the board voted on Aug. 6 to delay implementation of Davis’ already state-approved plan, and instead offer online learning only for the first four weeks of school.

State Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran reacted to that plan by telling the district that it had to justify any closing on a school-by-school, grade-by-grade and classroom-by-classroom basis, or jeopardize state funding.

Davis went to Tallahassee, in an attempt to find a compromise. The state rejected his proposals and, ultimately, the district opted to open online for one week and then to offer all three options, including brick-and-mortar instruction, at all of its schools beginning Aug. 31.

But then, Leon County Circuit Judge Charles Dodson ruled on a lawsuit brought against the state by the Florida Education Association, which was consolidated with other lawsuits brought against the state.

Dodson agreed with FEA’s contention that the state’s action — to require districts to open all brick-and-mortar schools by Aug. 31, was unconstitutional. Dodson said local school boards should have the power to make that decision.

The state appealed Dodson’s ruling, which automatically stayed his injunction, unless he decided to lift it. Dodson did lift it, essentially giving decision-making authority back to local school boards.

That decision prompted an emergency meeting of the Hillsborough County School Board on Aug. 28. Board members voted at that meeting to rescind their previous decision to open online only for four weeks, and instead to proceed with Davis’ most recent plan.

Meanwhile, the case between the FEA and the state continues on, and another lawsuit, filed by the United School Employees of Pasco, is pending.

Published September 02, 2020

Labor Day closings in Pasco

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Pasco County government offices, including the constitutional offices and the courts will be closed on Labor Day, which is Sept. 7.  Those offices that are offering limited services due to COVID-19 will reopen on Sept. 8, according to a Pasco County news release.
Also, the courts that are maintaining limited services as a result of the coronavirus pandemic will reopen Sept. 8.

The county’s Parks, Recreation, and Natural Resources’ offices, recreation complexes and community centers also will be closed on Sept. 7. However, parks and beaches will be open, dawn to dusk.

The county’s public transportation, libraries, and animal services shelter and field services will be closed on Sept. 7, too. An animal control officer will be available for emergencies.

The Pasco County Tax Collector’s Office and the Florida Department of Health in Pasco County also will be closed on Labor Day.

Published September 02, 2020