FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - As hospitals fill up with COVID-19 patients, the health of children has become a growing concern. Parents and school administrators are worried as the new school year approaches.
Just last week, some 70,000 children across the United States contracted COVID-19, and now some parents want masks to be part of the dress code for the upcoming school year.
Marah Marino-Gordon is a mother of four, and keeping her kids safe from COVID’s delta variant is her top priority.
“We stay home a little bit more, lots of hand sanitizer,” she said.
Her twin boys and daughter all attend school in Broward County. She says when school starts in two weeks, they will be wearing masks.
“If it’s a little inconvenient, that’s fine,” Marino-Gordon said. “Their safety is more important to me.”
Her decision comes as COVID’s highly contagious new variant is running rampant in South Florida, and children are not off limits.
“The state of Florida has more children hospitalized with covid than any other part of the United States,” said Dr. Aileen Marty, infectious disease expert at Florida International University.
Which is why health experts are pushing for a mask mandate.
“Masks are a trivial inconvenience compared to the horror of having your child in the ICU,” Marty said.
But there’s a problem.
“There will be no restrictions and no mandates in the state of Florida,” said Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The governor signed an executive order last week giving parents the option following Broward County’s decision on a mask mandate.
“I want to empower parents to be able to make the best decision they can for the well-being of their children,” DeSantis said.
“It’s going to mean a problem for the children, for the adults in these schools, and it’s going to be a problem for their families and the community,” Marty said.
Initially, the school board said they would comply with the governor, but on Wednesday, that changed.
“The Broward County School Board has decided to pause,” said BCPS Chair Dr. Rosalind Osgood.
A pause that means their masks mandate isn’t going anywhere, for now.
“At this point in time, the Broward County Public Schools is going to continue and review all information before considering any revisions,” said BCPS Interim Superintendent Vickie Cartwright.
Which could lead to a battle between BCPS and the governor.
“I think our board is going to stand strong, and we’re going to have the mask mandate because I don’t see cases going down,” said Anna Fusco of the Broward Teachers Union.
While other districts like Miami-Dade decide what they’ll do, some say a mask optional policy will not keep our kids safe.
“That mask is less valuable as more kids are not wearing a mask,” Marty said.
In Miami-Dade, school officials said masks are required on school buses. They said they are now reviewing their mask policy and will make a decision before the start of school.
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