Health

The number of COVID cases keeps rising in Central Florida. FOX 35's Ray Villeda set out to get a better idea of what it's like inside the hospitals as staff deal with the surge. Since access to many of those hospitals is limited right now, he heard from health care providers who are trying to keep Floridians alive during the pandemic.

The White House COVID Response Team meets on Wednesday to discuss the rollout of coronavirus booster shots. It is expected that all Americans will be eligible for the shot eight months after receiving their last vaccine.

Rising cases and hospitalizations are motivating people to get their COVID-19 vaccine. In fact, 65 percent of eligible people in Florida are now vaccinated

Two groups are teaming up to encourage the Hispanic community to get the COVID vaccine. Many people in that community remain hesitant about getting the shot, health officials say.

Brevard County has made masking optional this school year. Parents in the county are fighting to make masks required in schools.

Local school officials continue to grapple with implementing student mask policies as the school year begins this week in many counties.

Hospitals in Brevard County are asking you to think twice before you call for an ambulance. The county's three hospital systems are packed with COVID patients right now, and they tell us the emergency rooms are overwhelmed.

Some parents are concerned about bullying and mask shaming that their children might face at school should they choose to wear, or not wear, a mask.

A new mother is shocked to find out that she is not carrying just twins. No, she's bringing home five new bundles of joy.

It has been one week since AdventHealth reported it was elevating its COVID response status from red to black. The designation means elective surgeries have been put on hold as the hospital system is seeing the highest number of coronavirus patients since the start of the pandemic.

Last call could be coming an hour earlier in Daytona Beach. The city is considering ending alcohol sales at 2 a.m. rather than the current 3 a.m. No decision was made on Wednesday night because one of the commission members resigned for an unrelated reason.

Just as Central Florida's tourism industry was getting back on its feet, the COVID-19 delta variant is knocking it back down. A second event has been canceled at the Orange County Convention Center in as many weeks, the county says.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a new eviction moratorium through October 3, 2021. That one replaces the one that expired over the weekend. It comes as some families cannot afford to pay their rent and local landlords are getting frustrated.

Because the coronavirus testing site at Barnett Park has been so busy lately, Orange County has opened a second location at the Econ Soccer Complex.

The Seminole County School District expects to have more than 90 percent of its students back to in-person learning. That means more students will be on buses.

One family found out the hard way that the coronavirus can be devastating, even to a teenager.