It may not be the pandemic, but a portion of Broward County is under quarantine to invasive Giant African Snails.

The pandemic has caused bus driver shortages across the country, so after dealing with late pickups, one California dad decided to do something about it.

The World Health organization declared earlier this month that the COVID-19 pandemic is no longer an emergency, putting a three-year end to the virus that killed at least 7 million people and turned the world upside down.

The problems the nursing industry is experiencing lately aren’t new issues, said Melissa, 41, who’s in Roanoke, Virginia.

Christine always envisioned a career in nursing. It’s all she ever wanted, professionally.

Did you have any idea just how many health care workers are nervous about a physical attack on the job?

Just last week, we asked: If you’re a health care worker, what are you seeing lately on the job?

Does it still seem like the COVID-19 pandemic just started, or do you feel like we’ve been dealing with this reality for ages?

Last summer, we asked: “Are you or your partner pregnant -- or have you delivered in the past few months?” ... “We want to hear from you.”

Maybe it was when the pandemic first arrived in the United States, or perhaps it only happened in recent weeks or months. But if you lost a friend or family member to COVID-19, and you’d like to memorialize that person’s legacy, we invite you to share more.

It seems like more and more people are heading back to the office in some capacity, and it probably felt a little bit foreign for those who haven’t seen their co-workers in real life in more than a year.

The COVID-19 pandemic changed a lot of things going forward, one of which is the way pet owners and veterinarians interact during visits.

In 2016, Valerie Collignon gave birth at 35 weeks, which resulted in a week-long NICU stay that she described as “traumatizing.”

Being home for those first couple months of the pandemic really made for a lot of free time for some, and wasn’t it the perfect time to adopt a new puppy or kitty?

First- and second-graders line up for Salk Polio vaccine shots on April 23, 1955. Regardless of where anyone stands on the matter, we know that vaccinations have been protecting us from diseases for decades. In 1921, the United States recorded 206,000 cases, which resulted in 15,520 deaths, according to the History of Vaccines website. According to the CDC, polio was once one of the most feared diseases in the U.S. Since 1979, there have been no polio cases that originated in the U.S.

To think of a world in which there’s no longer a COVID-19 pandemic. With vaccines now rolling out all over the country, as well as becoming available to more and more people, some have begun to talk about a post-pandemic life -- words we couldn’t imagine uttering (much less living) just a few months ago. Shall we go so far as to say there’s light at the end of the tunnel? So now we ask: What is at the top of your bucket list, if you will, post-pandemic? Maybe you’re dying to get back to work in person with your colleagues or classmates.

In writing this series, I’ve enjoyed hearing and learning about what’s been different, how people have been coping and adapting, and think about my own family’s timing and how we’ll manage it all.

Let’s say you’re following all of the latest public health recommendations, trying your absolute best to keep your family and others safe from COVID-19.

The King Jesus Church of Ministry in Homestead is the latest site to be selected to inoculate the most vulnerable. 500 people, ages 65 and over, all from the South Dade area, received their first shot to protect themselves from COVID-19. It was a collaborative effort between Miami-Dade commissioner Kionne McGhee, Pastors from the South Miami-Dade area and various community leaders. When it comes to the second shot, to be considered fully vaccinated, the number stands at more than 667,000. More than 1 million seniors have gotten their first dose, but when it comes to the second dose, only 374,369 people have received it.

It certainly wasn’t planned this way, but Claire Nackashi had to deal with almost every aspect of her pregnancy, pandemic-style.

Because of the pandemic, you couldn’t watch the 44th-annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade from the streets of Miami’s Liberty City this year, but Local 10 News brought it right to you in a virtual format. Our parade show aired on Local 10 at 1 p.m. on Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan. 18), including some elements with floats and bands that were pre-recorded to avoid large crowds. We also flashed back to the epic 2020 parade that you saw live on Local 10. In case you missed it, a replay of our 2021 parade broadcast can be seen in the video player at the top of this page. To see a presentation of the MLK Day Parade put together by the MLK Parade and Festivities Committee, watch the video below.

Over time, we were pandemic baking and pandemic dating and rescuing pandemic puppies from shelters. All of which led Dictionary.com on Monday to declare “pandemic” its 2020 word of the year. For about half the year, it was in the top 10% of all our lookups.”Another dictionary, Merriam-Webster, also selected pandemic as its word of the year earlier Monday. Kelly said pandemic beat out routine lookups usually intended to sort more mundane matters, such as the differences between “to, two and too.”“That's significant,” Kelly emphasized. The pandemic as an event created a new language for a new normal.”Lexicographers often factor out routine lookups when evaluating word trends.

With many medical experts urging Americans to make this year’s Thanksgiving scaled down, many of us will probably only see people in our “bubble,” so holiday is going to feel a little bit different. Thanks to technology, you can still gather with your extended family.

If you have survived COVID-19 and you’ve managed to keep your sense of smell (or quickly get it back), so happy for you, too -- truly. Getting sickWhat’s strange is that I didn’t notice my sense of smell was gone until I had already gotten over being sick. Losing my sense of smellWhat’s kind of funny is that I didn’t realize I had lost my sense of smell until I was cleaning my house one night. In this group, I learned of people who had become infected with COVID-19 in the earlier part of the year who still haven’t regained their sense of smell. Did you survive COVID-19 and still haven’t regained your sense of smell?

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: It’s ... been quite a year. But we all know, too, that there has been plenty of good that’s come out of this year. That includes all the people who have found love. Author’s note: As someone who is married, the dating scene doesn’t cross my mind a lot, but I’ve wondered: How do people meet others, romantically, during such a strange time? If you’ve gone through this during a pandemic, I’d love to hear your story, if you’re willing to share.

Linda Mcgrath said missing sense of smell nearly cost her her life after a gas leak sprung in her Livonia, Michigan, home, about five months after her coronavirus diagnosis. She reached out to us in response to an article we previously published about COVID-19-related smell loss. “I had a guardian angel a couple of weeks ago when I heard a hissing noise and realized I had a gas leak." When her son arrived, it was clear Mcgrath didn’t know the extent of the leak, because she never smelled a thing. A few days later, the woman said, a house nearby in Livonia blew up from a gas leak, confirming how dangerous Mcgrath’s situation could have been.

This time last year, we were beginning to talk about what kinds of fun costumes and masks we might wear for Halloween. Nowadays, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, masks are an every day, everywhere kind of thing. In an effort to fight the spread of the coronavirus, masks have been mandated for wear in plenty of places, so perhaps your mask has become second nature. That not only makes it a little more fun for those wearing the masks, but for us who are out people-watching (and unable to actually see people’s faces). And perhaps you just might give some others some fun ideas to work with.

The state of Hawaii recently launched the digital app so that travelers could provide their required health information before they arrive at the airport, speeding up the process. Travelers previously were required to fill out the same forms, but on paper, when they arrived in Hawaii. Now, the state has two different types of digital forms: One each for inter-island travel and trans-pacific travel. Upon providing health information at least one day before departure, travelers will receive a QR code that an airport screener will scan when they arrive. For the time being, travelers must check into the Safe Travels Hawaii website each day for health check-ins for the duration of their quarantine.

Whether your children have already begun their school year or you’re still preparing, due to delays, there are many who are choosing to keep their kids home to learn as the coronavirus pandemic rages on. Parents are doing their best to adapt, and we applaud every parent for the decision they’re making -- regardless of what that is. But for those who are keeping kids home for virtual learning, we want to see exactly how you’re adapting. What does the “classroom” you’ve created look like? We’d love to see what kinds of ideas parents have come up with, and we have a feeling other parents might appreciate some good ideas, too.

Are you ever flipping around on TV and you come across some sort of golf tournament? Golf looks pretty fun, and somewhat less strenuous than some of the other professional sports. Plus, golfing seems like an enjoyable group activity or a bucket-list item for a scenic vacation.

Health experts have identified that plasma received from someone who has survived COVID-19 can be extremely beneficial to others who may contract the virus. Convalescent plasma is the liquid part of blood that is collected from patients who have recovered from COVID-19, according to the FDA. By taking your weight, they will know how much plasma you are eligible to donate. Donating without COVID-19 diagnosisPerhaps you haven’t been diagnosed with COVID-19, but you still want to help donate blood or plasma. Click here to learn more about plasma donation.

Sure, some things have returned to a state of “normal,” or at least, as normal as can be expected. As the author of this story, and someone who writes/edits from home full-time while juggling toddlers and a recent out-of-state move, I usually just tell people I’m fine, when they ask. Tell us what you’re feeling. Loading…One final thing: It might feel good to fill out our form and vent a little bit (please -- I hope you do! ), but if you’re struggling or dealing with anything related to your mental health, or you’re feeling more than just “not OK,” please reach out to a trusted friend, family member or therapist.

Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian has put out what some are calling an aggressive enforcement of mask-wearing on the company’s flights. ”If you board the plane and you insist on not wearing your mask, we will insist that you don’t fly Delta into the future,” Bastian told Today in an interview Wednesday. The CEO said the stance is one he’s taking in order to keep crew and passengers safe during the pandemic. As the coronavirus pandemic continues, Delta flights have been booked to 60% of their capacity, Today reported after speaking with Bastian. “We’ve had some customers indicate that they have (an) underlying condition that makes wearing a mask dangerous for them,” Bastian said.

She explained that distance learning for her son Julian, who recently finished fourth grade at a public school in Maryland, was a disaster. At Julian’s school, he received the Individualized Education Program, which is federally mandated for students with special needs. Wohl suggests new distance learning is presenting an opportunity to shift norms to benefit students with disabilities, specifically those who have communication difficulties or are nonspeaking. In-person classrooms have grown to be rather large in recent years, but that can leave students with disabilities feeling overwhelmed. Wohl suggests that smaller groups can give students better access to their curriculum at their own pace, as well as social inclusion.

Both of the rappers are billed on this song, but after a listen, it seems like Eminem is the one being featured on a Kid Cudi song. Eminem, at one point, goes off about people not wearing masks in public:“Half of us walking around like a zombie apocalypse. Other half are just p----- off, and don’t wanna wear a mask and they’re just scoffing. 1 rapper advocating for public health in the middle of a pandemic. We didn’t expect to see Eminem becoming a public health advocate on our 2020 bingo card, but we are here for it.

Where is travel restricted? The International Air Transport Association -- the trade association for the world’s airlines, representing nearly 82% of total air traffic -- has created an interactive map that shows where in the world travel is restricted. There are four ways -- shown by color -- in which the map shows how restrictive the travel is in each area:Totally restrictivePartially restrictiveNot restrictiveLatest updates currently under reviewWhat information does the map actually give you? Are you interested in traveling out of the country sometime soon -- or at any point in the future, amid the coronavirus pandemic? While this map is a helpful tool for future travelers, regulations around the world change quickly, so it’s important to visit local government websites of the areas you plan on visiting before booking travel.

So let’s take a look at all of the wild things that happened so far this year that you probably already forgot about, shall we? (Photo by Brett Hemmings/Getty Images) (2020 Getty Images)Jan. 3: Iranian general Qasem Soleimani was killed in a drone strike by the U.S. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) (2020 Getty Images)Feb. 5: After months of investigations, hearings and lots of tweets from Trump, the president was acquitted by the Senate on both articles of impeachment. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) (2020 Getty Images)And now we’re in June. It’s hard to believe that all of those things happened during a pandemic, so who knows what else is next?

MIAMI – Florida Department of Health data last updated May 15 shows 31 long-term care facilities in Palm Beach County reported 94 coronavirus fatalities. Here is the list of facilities and the number of deaths reported:Source of dataDEATHS

State records show there are 151,724 people living at 4,480 licensed long-term care facilities. According to the Florida Health Care Association, the long-term care facilities support 287,298 jobs. The state’s approach to testing at long-term care facilities, he said, is considered a “representative sample." DeSantis has now ordered long-term care facility employees to visit testing sites for bi-weekly coronavirus tests. With the reopening of some non-essential businesses on Monday, Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez said he is going to be working with DeSantis to improve efforts at long-term care facilities.

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Mayor Carlos Gimenez released Miami-Dade County’s new guidelines on Wednesday afternoon aiming to reopen some nonessential businesses on Monday. “I don’t think most restaurants can reach 50% capacity, once we establish those criteria for the table distancing and social distancing, but at least it gets them more,” Gimenez said. Restaurant Capacity in Miami-Dade (Miami-Dade)Broward County Administrator Bertha Henry told Broward commissioners Tuesday Miami-Dade “would like to go to 50%, but they know that they can’t.”If DeSantis’ approves the guidelines, Miami-Dade would be allowing restaurants to operate with a 50% indoor capacity and hair and nail salons with a 25% capacity. RESTAURANTSWhile the 50% indoor capacity would be allowed, cafeterias, diners and fast-food restaurants would also be allowed to provide the rest of the 50% capacity in outdoor seating, according to the guidelines. All rights reserved)OTHER CAPACITY LIMITATIONSElevators at museums: 4 passengersElevators in manufacturing areas: 50% capacity

Henry said Broward has met the federal requirements to start reopening and Gov. Broward County Administrator Bertha Henry answered commissioners' questions on Tuesday about reopening plans. NOT OPENING BEACHES YETDistrict 4 Commissioner Lamar Fisher and District 6 Commissioner Beam Furr said they want Broward to reopen beaches soon. Holness said there is a need to coordinate the reopening of the beaches with Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez. For more information about local restrictions and access to testing, call the Broward County COVID-19 Hotline at 954-357-9500 or email COVID-19@flhealth.gov.

Trujillo, a single mother, said she was forced to apply for unemployment insurance benefits last month. This resulted in a record-high unemployment rate of 14.7%, but the jobless rate for women rose to 15.5%. They can’t rejoin the labor force.”Rep. Vance Aloupis, who is the chief executive officer of The Children’s Movement of Florida, a Miami-based nonprofit organization, agrees with Swonk. Camacho said the Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade/Monroe is tasked with helping families to find childcare services. And while Florida’s unemployment claims office continues to be overwhelmed, Trujillo is hopeful that the government assistance and access to childcare services will help her to get back on her feet soon.

PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. – Bagel Works in Boca Raton reopened Monday morning. Five weeks and three days after the initial coronavirus pandemic lockdown, employees of the Rocco’s Tacos in Palm Beach County were also eager to have the Mexican restaurant reopen. To make sure there was enough hospital capacity, Palm Beach went on lockdown April 3. Palm Beach County Mayor Dave Kerner said access to public beaches begins May 18. Ron DeSantis allowed businesses in every county in the state to reopen May 4 -- except for Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties.

WILTON MANORS, Fla. – In an outbreak with more than 80 cases, 16 residents of The Manor Pines Convalescent Center in Wilton Manors died of complications with the coronavirus disease, state officials reported on Friday. According to the Florida Department of Health’s Friday report, the number of residents who died of the respiratory illness increased from 3 to 16 in one week. Officials also reported 86 coronavirus cases are linked to the nursing home including 57 residents and 29 employees. They’re now calling for more to be done to protect the life of their mother, and her fellow residents. Florida’s DOH reported 83 deaths are linked to coronavirus outbreaks at long-term care facilities in Broward County.

It’s likely to be a rain-soaked Mother’s Day, as a potent storm system slides into South Florida. The combination of a stalled front, an advancing low from the Gulf of Mexico, and very high atmospheric moisture looks to bring widespread and potentially heavy rain. Flooding may occur if downpours were to continually occur over the same spots. While it may not rain all day long in all locations, it is best to plan for wet weather this Sunday.

ABC Displays has created a cardboard bed with metal railings that designers say can double as a casket if a patient dies. Company manager Rodolfo Gómez said he was inspired to find a way to help after watching events unfold recently in nearby Ecuador. Many could not find or were unable to afford a wood coffin, using donated cardboard ones instead. At least one doctor was skeptical of how sturdy a cardboard bed might be. He also warned that any corpses should first be placed in a sealed bag before being put in a cardboard coffin to avoid potentially spreading the disease.

The 2,000-acre (809-hectare) fire in Santa Rosa County, located just east of Pensacola, prompted the evacuation of 1,100 homes Wednesday. Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried said in a news conference Thursday afternoon that fire officials are working around the clock to contain the wildfires. Rich Aloy, with the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, was patrolling Wednesday when he and other deputies rescued an older couple trapped by a burning power line. The Santa Rosa County fire began Monday when a prescribed burn by a private contractor got out of control, Fried said. Crews from other areas of Florida, including Jacksonville, are assisting firefighters who've been working long hours since Monday.

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – Dr. John Whitehead and his husband, Dr. Alain Ramirez were both diagnosed with the new coronavirus disease in March. But they are unable to donate the convalescent plasma because they are gay and sexually active. Plasma donor creates website to help COVID-19 patients in needGay and bisexual men face U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s blood donation restrictions dating back to the 1980s. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gay and bisexual men account for about 70% of new HIV infections in the U.S. each year. “We would all like to get our lives back together, but, we have to be safe.”Blood plasma requirements (Local 10 News)

Also in Miami, Unity Health and Rehabilitation Center in Allapattah reported seven residents died of complications with the coronavirus, public health officials reported. In Miami’s Little Havana, Floridean Nursing and Rehabilitation Center reported six deaths related to the coronavirus. Claridge House Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Miami-Dade County’s Golden Glades area reported five deaths related to the coronavirus. North Beach Rehabilitation Center in North Miami Beach reported four people dead. Here is a list of the other facilities with the most coronavirus deaths in the state:Suwannee Health and Rehabilitation Center in Live Oak reported 14 deaths.

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Artist Claudia La Bianca is mapping out a masterpiece on the side of Jackson Memorial Hospital. La Bianca said she was thinking about toll COVID-19 was taking on her home country of Italy, and its potential for doom in her South Florida community. “They are fighting the bad guy, which is the virus, and they’re saving life and they’re taking care of the sick ones,” she said. Italian artist honors fighters at Jackson Memorial Hospital. Art can inspire people and can bring a positive message,” La Bianca said.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Broward County cyclists may encounter different realities in Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood this weekend. While Fort Lauderdale is closing the eastern northbound lanes of A1A from Las Olas to Sunrise, Hollywood has closed the Hollywood Beach Broadwalk. Raelin Storey, a spokesperson for the city of Hollywood, said this is because the Hollywood Beach Broadwalk is adjacent to the beach, so it makes it challenging to open one and not the other. White one lane of the road is closed to vehicles, orange and white barricades are up on A1A in Fort Lauderdale to give pedestrians room to walk, for proper social distancing. Broward cyclists face different restrictions in Fort Lauderdale, HollywoodCyclists say it is getting dangerous to bike in areas of Broward.

MIAMI – Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said Friday Miami-Dade County Public Schools is preparing to follow the new guidelines released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention during the coronavirus pandemic. CDC Guidelines for School (CDC Guidelines for School)District employees will be testing students’ temperatures before they are allowed into the bus and school, Carvalho said. During the Recover phase, the district will be holding virtual Summer School from June 8 to July 10. During the Restart phase, students who demonstrate low levels of academic performance, as well as students with learning disabilities and English language learners would return to school on July 27. For more updates from Miami-Dade County Public Schools, visit this page.

SAN DIEGO – The Trump administration on Thursday suspended immigration court hearings for asylum-seekers waiting in Mexico through June 1, bowing to public health concerns while extending a state of limbo those locked down in Mexican migrant shelters. While it is difficult to know precisely, the Justice Department estimated in late February that there were 25,000 people waiting in Mexico for hearings in U.S. court. Barely 1% of the nearly 45,000 “Return to Mexico” cases decided through March won asylum, according to Syracuse University’s Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse. The future of “Remain in Mexico” has become less certain after the administration temporarily suspended immigration laws using a 1944 public-health law, whisking Mexicans and Central Americans to the nearest border to be returned to Mexico without a chance to seek asylum. “We really can't commit to a case.”The Justice Department, which oversees immigration courts, has also suspended hearings for people who are released in the United States through May 15 in response to COVID-19, exacerbating a backlog of about 1.1 million cases.

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump delivered remarks on Thursday afternoon about the federal government’s new effort to protect America’s seniors during the coronavirus pandemic. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will send supplemental shipments of personal protective equipment to nursing homes certified by Medicare and Medicaid nationwide, Trump said. Trump signs a proclamation to assign May as Older Americans Month.

Ron DeSantis and the Department of Children and Families announced Thursday the extension of two federal programs to help poverty-stricken families during the coronavirus pandemic. DCF reported receiving nearly one million applications for public assistance. According to DeSantis, nearly 3 million people in Florida benefit from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which provides a monthly supplement to buy food with the help of a debit card. The U.S. Department of Agriculture funds SNAP and the Department of Health and Human Services funds the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, which provides cash assistance for families’ living expenses. To deal with the increasing demand for public assistance, DeSantis and DCF Secretary Chad Poppell invested more resources on the state’s Economic Self-Sufficiency program, which handles the applicants’ eligibility.

He said he plans to announce Florida’s reopening plan on Wednesday. DeSantis said in Florida close to 85% of the fatalities have been people age 65 or older. DeSantis said he has been worried about Brazil and some of the hot spots which have a lot of interaction with Miami. Trump and DeSantis also discussed a travel ban related to Brazil -- one of the world’s new hot spots. Kudlow also said Trump is looking into middle-class tax relief, middle-class regulatory relief, infrastructure development and insurance liability protections for small businesses.

MIAMI – Mario Mayorga, Jr., was working as a manager for Roger’s Cleaning Service, a contractor cleaning at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach during the coronavirus pandemic. From left, Mario Mayorga, Jr., Mario Mayorga, Sr., and Esperanza Mayorga died of coronavirus. (Local 10 News Share)The Mayorga family is from Masaya, Nicaragua. Violeta Mayorga, a single mother who is now unemployed, was released from the hospital and is recovering alone at home. It has been a long six weeks.”Lastre set up a Mayorga Family Relief GoFundMe page and Lourdes Perez, a close family friend, set up the Mario Mayorga and Family Passing GoFundMe page to help Violeta Mayorga during the family crisis.

The popular Tropical Chinese Restaurant employees have been using donations to deliver warm food to health care employees in Miami-Dade County. His face was covered when he grabbed the jar with the cash and took off running to the getaway car. Mei Yu, the co-owner of the Tropical Chinese Restaurant, had a message for the thief: “I don’t understand. Why do you have to steal?” She said she wants the thief to use the money for something good. Miami-Dade police officers are asking anyone with information about this thief to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.

More than 1,000 drivers picked up free Farm Share groceries on Monday morning at Dolphin Mall in Miami-Dade County. Florida House Rep. Ana Maria Rodriguez, of Doral, was among the dozens of volunteers at the drive-through food distribution event at the city of Sweetwater. Sweetwater Police Department Chief Placido Diaz said many of the drivers started to line up on Monday night. Miami-Dade County Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz has been volunteering at food distribution events for weeks. For more information about how to help sponsor a Farm Share food load, view this page.

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump signed a $484 billion bill Friday to aid employers and hospitals under stress from the coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 50,000 Americans and devastated broad swaths of the economy. Trump said most of the funding in the bill would flow to small businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program, which provides money to small businesses to keep workers on their payroll. “Great for small businesses, great for the workers,” Trump said. There’s also $60 billion for small-business loans and grants delivered through the Small Business Administration’s existing disaster aid program. That left thousands of small businesses in limbo as they sought help.

But even as many Republicans question Trump’s credibility during the pandemic, the overwhelming majority — 82% — say they still approve of how he’s doing. Many Americans say they wish Trump were listening to some of those experts more as he navigates the crisis. And 84% of Democrats have little to no trust in information the president is providing about the pandemic. Just 17% of Americans say Trump is highly disciplined. And when it comes to empathy — often an important intangible in presidential elections — 24% say Trump cares about people like them.

Rushing to reopen, she said, could result in another rapid rise in cases, so it’s better to do it right the first time. She said the reopening needs to come with people wearing masks and social distancing. Hialeah, Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Jacksonville and Miami Beach, Tampa, West Palm Beach and Homestead followed, according to the Florida Department of Health’s Wednesday afternoon report. Dr. Deborah Birx, the response coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force, also said testing asymptomatics is key. Monroe County Mayor Heather Carruthers said leaders in the Florida Keys will be waiting for testing to ramp up before reopening.

The Emmy Award-winning journalist joined the Local 10 News team in 2013. She wrote for the Miami Herald for more than 9 years and won a Green Eyeshade Award.

HIALEAH GARDENS, Fla. – Drivers in need during the coronavirus pandemic started to arrive at about 2 a.m. on Wednesday to Hialeah Gardens High School. Within a few hours, an L-shaped line of cars curved from Hialeah Gardens Boulevard and stretched on Okeechobee Road. A Farm Share truck arrives early Wednesday morning to Hialeah Gardens from the non-profit organization's warehouse in Homestead. We opened a compassionate call center in our city, so Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., we have phone lines going, if residents need anything." Sunrise residents can call 954-746-3670 or email CompassionOfficer@sunrisefl.gov for more information.

TANZANIA – The head of the U.N. food agency warned Tuesday that, as the world is dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, it is also “on the brink of a hunger pandemic” that could lead to “multiple famines of biblical proportions” within a few months if immediate action isn’t taken. According to WFP, the 10 countries with the worst food crises in 2019 were Yemen, Congo, Afghanistan, Venezuela, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Syria, Sudan, Nigeria and Haiti. Beasley said in many countries the food crisis is the result of conflict. “The truth is, we do not have time on our side, so let’s act wisely — and let’s act fast," Beasley said. “I do believe that with our expertise and partnerships, we can bring together the teams and the programs necessary to make certain the COVID-19 pandemic does not become a humanitarian and food crisis catastrophe."

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Forget Superman or Batman, a group of Broward County students said their new superheroes work at Broward Health. Floranada Elementary School teacher in Fort Lauderdale asked her students to show their appreciation for all of the sacrifices health care workers are making during the coronavirus pandemic. Teacher Jennifer Black said she asked her first-grade class to get creative. Some of the children used markers, color pencils and others turned the assignment into an out-door graffiti task with chalk. She also has a message for health care providers: “We truly appreciate everything you are doing for us.

In the midst of all the stay-at-home orders that have caused people to have too much free time, it’s a good bet that some families have blown the dust off old board games stashed away in a cabinet somewhere. For those already into board games, it’s just been more of an opportunity to play them -- and to see who can win a best-of-seven battle in Chutes and Ladders or be the best settler in Catan. In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, families are turning to board games for entertainment and some fun, both rehashing old memories and perfecting skills. But how much do enthusiasts out there really know about board games? Check out the quiz below to learn some fun facts and see if you can be as good at answering these questions as you are at getting all the pieces of the pie in Trivial Pursuit, or amassing triple-word scores in Scrabble.

Kristi Krueger has built a solid reputation as an award-winning medical reporter and effervescent anchor. She joined Local 10 in August 1993. After many years co-anchoring the 6 p.m. and 11 p.m., Kristi now co-anchors the noon newscasts, giving her more time in the evening with her family.

But more than a month after he declared, “Anybody who wants a test, can get a test,” the reality has been much different. Experts say testing would have to increase as much as threefold to be effective. “You know, the federal government shouldn’t be forced to go and do everything, ,” Trump told reporters Thursday. Hospitals and state health departments report scouring the globe to secure orders, competing against each other and their peers abroad in a system that Gov. Federal health officials declined to say how many cartridges were initially sent to states but said more will be available as Abbott increases production.

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump’s administration released the “Opening Up America Again” guidelines on Thursday afternoon during the coronavirus pandemic. The guidelines include three phases developed by Dr. Anthony Fauci, Dr. Deborah Birx and experts with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. PHASE 1: According to the guidelines, Phase 1 recommends social distancing, which means schools will remain closed, people who are vulnerable will shelter in place and visits to nursing homes will still be prohibited. PHASE 2: If the states continue with the downward trend, schools, restaurants, gyms and bars will be allowed to reopen with diminished occupancy and non-essential travel can resume. PHASE 3: Authorities will allow visits to nursing homes.

PEMBROKE PINES, Fla. – A second military veteran who had been living at the Alexander Nininger State Veterans Nursing Home in Pembroke Pines died of COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the new coronavirus, the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs announced Tuesday afternoon. The death of William Tetrault, 89, comes about 10 days after the highly contagious illness killed another military veteran who also lived at the 120-bed facility. William Tetrault, a veteran of the Korean War, died of COVID-19, his family announced on Tuesday. (Local 10 News Share)Danny Burgess, the executive director of the FDVA, released a statement saying the second Alexander Nininger State Veterans Nursing Home resident to die of COVID-19 suffered complications with a related illness. According to the Florida Department of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Protection has confirmed 48 cases of COVID-19 in Pembroke Pines.

Later Monday afternoon, a steady stream of cars flowed into Hialeah-Miami Lakes Senior High School for a student meal distribution. As the coronavirus pandemic continues to loom, the number of people who need food is rising. If the numbers tell the story of need in Miami-Dade County, they’re perhaps most striking at the schools. The week of March 16-20, Miami-Dade County Public Schools distributed 222,518 meals across all its district schools. WHERE TO GO: Miami-Dade County Public Schools student meal distribution sites

MIAMI – The U.S. Small Business Administration manages four programs from the federal government to help businesses with 500 employees or less. Here is the SBA’s database to find eligible lenders >ECONOMIC INJURY DISASTER LOANS: The program provides loans of up to $2 million with a term of up to 30 years. DEBT RELIEF: This program applies to loans issued before Sept. 27, 2020 and includes payments of the principal, interest and fees. Florida set up a $50 million loan program for small businesses through the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. SMALL BUSINESS EMERGENCY BRIDGE LOAN: This program offers loans of up to $100,000 for businesses established before March 9th and that have two to 100 employees.

His brother Paul Laroche said Dr. Laroche had adapted to his role as front-line medical staff during the pandemic when he began to feel symptoms. (Local 10 News)Hospitals and blood banks around the country are collecting, isolating, and processing the blood plasma. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued emergency authorization for the convalescent serum therapy on March 24. Blood plasma requirements (Local 10 News)Blood plasma requirements (Local 10 News)“Our teams behind the scenes are moving very quickly to process and test those units,” Forbes said. For more information about how to help Dr. Laroche, call Dr. Serges Thys at 561-776-8300 or Dr. Jean Labissiere at 561-739-9333 or Dr. Serges Alexandre at 561-276-8444.

NEW YORK – Small business owners hoping for quick help from the government’s emergency $349 billion lending program were still waiting Tuesday amid reports of computer problems at the Small Business Administration. A large percentage of community banks — small banks that serve rural areas and small towns — have been unable to get logged into the system as well. Brock Blake, CEO of Lendio, a marketplace for loans, also said he was hearing complaints about the SBA’s computer system from bankers. There also was confusion about loan documents; the terms of the loans are different from standard SBA loans and therefore new documents would be needed. Many owners were also waiting to hear whether they’d get economic injury disaster loans, separate from the paycheck loans.

And like them, there were many more hotel and restaurant employees who are suffering through the coronavirus pandemic waiting at a food distribution site on Tuesday in Miami. Maria Alonso, the chief executive officer of United Way of Miami, said they were prepared with groceries for 100 families. Alonso said it was the first food distribution United Way of Miami held during the pandemic and it won’t be the last one. The United Way is in need of volunteers and not all of them have to be brave enough to work at the food distribution events. For more information about how to get involved, visit the United Way of Miami page and the Feeding South Florida page.

But each day, before she can go over their schoolwork, her 9-year-old first has to help her understand what the assignments say. The shift to distance learning has created unique challenges for English language learners and their parents, who are tasked with keeping them on track despite their own struggles and lack of familiarity with the educational system. Compared to teachers of mainstream students, more teachers of English language learners had already cited students' lack of home internet access as a barrier to using technology, according to a 2019 U.S. Education Department report. And in some cases, programs designed for English language learners are not even available through online instruction. Research shows language acquisition also can slip if English language learners spend the summer speaking a language other than English at home, said Joshua Lawrence, an educational researcher who studied the trajectories while at the University of California, Irvine in 2012.

MIAMI – Do you know a hero fighting the coronavirus in the front lines? The National Salute to America’s Heroes is asking for nominations in three categories: Healthcare, First Responder and Unsung Community Heros. Hyundai will be surprising them with a 2020 Hyundai Sonata sedan to four heroes on Memorial Day. Here is where to submit the nominations >Local 10 News is not affiliated with this contest. It stems from the cancelation of this year’s Air & Sea Show in Miami Beach.

MIAMI – The Coral Princess cruise ship arrived at Port Miami Saturday morning, hours after being denied entry at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale. On Saturday night, one of the very first groups of passengers cleared to return, 50 Floridians, departed the Coral Princess ship. Princess Cruises, a subsidiary of Carnival Corp., switched the Coral Princess’ original destination from Fort Lauderdale. The Coral Princess departed March 5 from Chile. The Regal Princess delivered supplies to the Coral Princess.

KEY WEST, Fla. – Originally from West Memphis, Arkansas, Keith White moved to Key West in the late 1980s. Friends said, White, 55, epitomized the Key West mantra: “One Human Family.” After working for years as a chef at the Casa Marina Key West Waldorf Astoria, he had more time to help struggling addicts. “My dad is truly going to be missed,” said his daughter Ikema Williams, who said he died of COVID-19, the highly contagious respiratory illness caused by the new coronavirus. “They’ve been reaching out to me.”After feeling ill for days at home, White died at the Lower Keys Medical Center in Key West. According to the Florida Department of Health, White suffered from an underlying health condition.

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – A group of University of Miami medical students is trying to do their part to help South Florida hospitals in the battle against COVID-19, the contagious respiratory illness caused by the new coronavirus. The UM the Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine students’ Miami Med Covid Help program started with 20 volunteers and has grown to about 100. “We came together in the student body to see how we could help," Ohringer said. WHERE TO GOStudents ask donors to practice social distancing on Sunday. The students will get the donations out of your trunk.

Jesdanun, 51, deputy technology editor for The Associated Press, died in New York City on Thursday, April 2, 2020, of coronavirus-related complications, his family said. Jesdanun, 51, deputy technology editor for The Associated Press, died in New York City on Thursday of coronavirus-related complications, his family said. “Before people knew the internet was full of falsehoods, he was the guy who said, `We’d better check that,’” said his colleague, AP technology writer Michael Liedtke. “Nick was the steady bulwark of AP’s tech team for two decades,” said Frank Bajak, AP’s first technology editor. “His depth of knowledge was unmatched,” said his boss, current AP technology editor David Hamilton.

Nicole Perez is the the primary co-anchor of Local 10 News at 4 p.m., 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. She first joined Local 10 in July 2016 as the morning traffic reporter.

We’re all coping with the coronavirus outbreak in our own ways, and for some, that’s pretending that every hour of the day is happy hour. If you fall into that category, celebrity chef and all-around national treasure Ina Garten, also known as the Barefoot Contessa, has the perfect cocktail recipe for you. All you need is “good” vodka, orange liqueur, cranberry juice, lime juice and a giant martini glass. And no, we’re not kidding when we say a giant martini glass -- just check out the video of Garten making the drink on her Instagram, below. And as Garten always says, “How easy was that?”

President Donald Trump on Tuesday warned Americans to brace for a “rough two-week period” ahead as the White House released new projections that there could be 100,000 to 240,000 deaths in the U.S. from the coronavirus pandemic even if current social distancing guidelines are maintained. “We really believe we can do a lot better than that,” said Dr. Deborah Birx, the coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force. Trump called American efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus “a matter of life and death” and urged the public to heed his administration’s guidelines. But that was a worst-case scenario, without efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus through social distancing. As for the projection of 100,000-240,000 deaths, Fauci of the National Institutes of Health said: “We don’t accept that number, that that's what it's going to be.

The 77-year-old retired travel agent and magician was the first Atria Willow Wood resident to die of the illness. De Santis first issued a ban on visits at long-term care facilities three days before Curren died. According to the Florida Department of Health’s Friday evening report, there are 56 COVID-19 cases at long-term care facilities in the state. CASES INCREASE IN BROWARDState public health officials reported 35% of the cases at long-term care facilities in Florida are in Broward County. Coronavirus cases at long-term care facilities in Florida (Coronavirus cases at long-term care facilities in Florida)CASES INCREASE IN MIAMI-DADEPublic health officials reported Friday evening the CDC confirmed nine COVID-19 cases related to long-term care in Miami-Dade.

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – The coronavirus pandemic is impacting the Five Star Premier Residences of Hollywood in Broward County. Residents at the assisted living facility at 2480 N. Park Rd. reported receiving an e-mail warning them a resident was diagnosed with COVID-19, the infectious respiratory illness caused by the new coronavirus. According to the e-mail from Rene Sanz, the ALF’s executive director, and Jill Aaron, his assistant, the resident who tested positive was hospitalized on Tuesday. The ALF operator suspended group activities and isolated residents in their rooms.

Nicole Perez is the the primary co-anchor of Local 10 News at 4 p.m., 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. She first joined Local 10 in July 2016 as the morning traffic reporter.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Three more Atria Willow Wood residents have died in the last 24 hours in Broward County, according to Atria Senior Living, the facility’s operator. Richard Curren, 77, died at Atria Willow Wood in Fort Lauderdale after contracting COVID-19. (Curren family, WPLG)Out of the nine dead, six tested positive for COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the new coronavirus. "They were dressed in full garb.”Man transported from Atria Willow Wood to be tested for COVID-19Gov. Atria Willow Wood reported 16 residents tested positive for COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the new coronavirus.

Ron DeSantis said he was very concerned about the increase in flights from New York’s hot zone to Florida. DeSantis said airlines struggling through the shutdown were not eager to put a stop to the flights. “It is just reckless, reckless behavior,” DeSantis said about people who are choosing to travel from New York to Florida as they flee the devastating effects of the outbreak. DeSantis said Florida’s hot zone is in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. DeSantis estimates more than 40,400 people have already lost their jobs in Florida.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla – During a commission meeting Tuesday, Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony said he is struggling to get the appropriate personal protective equipment his deputies need to stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. “We are very limited,” Tony told Broward County commissioners. “This is a worldwide issue and there are only so many distributors that produce the materials that we need." Tony didn’t get into specifics about the shortage and how it’s affecting deputies, but he did say he is also worried about how other police departments in Broward County are being affected. “There have been some municipal cities that are having some issues acquiring equipment," Tony said.

WASHINGTON – The income tax filing date has been pushed back from April 15, to July 15, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said late last week. Mnuchin announced the decision in a tweet Friday, saying that at President Donald Trump’s direction, “We are moving Tax Day from April 15 to July 15. The delay is available to people who owe $1 million or less and corporations that owe $10 million or less. It is expected that many states will follow the lead of the federal government and delay their tax filing deadlines as well but that will be a state by state decision. The administration is working with Congress to develop a $1 trillion support package and Mnuchin has said the IRS payment delay will add $300 billion to that effort.

MIAMI – A group of Miami Police Department officers was up early Tuesday at a Winn-Dixie supermarket in Miami’s Liberty City. They were shopping for people who are vulnerable to the new coronavirus. Guerra and the other officers stocked up on fresh produce, paper towels and other essentials. Officers used their patrol cars to deliver the groceries. “Once we purchase the items, we are taking them back to senior centers.

No Kid Hungry has a plan to feed them, but we need your help.”Yes, it’s a group called No Kid Hungry -- and it appears to be the perfect place place to turn. With your help, we’ll continue to remove any obstacles to get kids the food they need," the group’s website said. We can’t stress this one enough: The American Red Cross needs you. Help patients like Robert today: https://t.co/iJpVmoWxZy pic.twitter.com/xXHbVPOkto — American Red Cross (@RedCross) March 18, 2020Don’t be nervous about giving blood. The Red Cross issued a news release about its need for blood on March 10.

Does anyone else feel like we’re in the midst of some pretty unsettling times? Even if you’re trying to keep a level head about where things stand with the coronavirus pandemic, it’s easy to turn on the TV or open social media and start to feel pretty overwhelmed, pretty quickly. For some, you can’t go out to eat, you’re now working from home and your kids aren’t even going to school. And with that, we thought we’d provide the following playbook. Yes, there is some science jargon involved here, but we tried to break it down for you in a way that’s easy to read and digestible.

While there isn’t a whole lot we can do as restrictions are put in place, there are a few measures we can take to support our favorite local businesses during these unsettling times. Buy gift cards from your favorite restaurant or boutique. We’re all pretty used to shopping online (Amazon Prime Day is basically a holiday at this point), so one way you can support a local business is shopping from your computer or cellphone. Not all boutiques or retail stores may have the option to offer online shopping, but if they do, it’s a great way to support a small business and practice social distancing. Not everyone is able to do this, but if your income won’t be affected by the coronavirus pandemic, consider a donation to a local business that could need it.

MIAMI – Hours after announcing his COVID-19 diagnosis on Friday, Miami Mayor Francis X. Suarez said he feels like he has “a little bit of a cold coming on” and he doesn’t have a fever. Suarez’s diagnosis prompted many people to self-quarantine including some Miami commissioners, Miami Chief of Police Jorge Colina and City Manager Arthur Noriega. His father, former Miami Mayor Xavier L. Suarez, and his mother, Rita Suarez, a Sunset Elementary teacher, tested negative for COVID-19. Suarez, a father of two, said he doesn’t know if he was infected when he interacted with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s communications director, Fabio Wajngarten. I mean there were a lot of people ... It’s also possible that it didn’t happen there ... it’s possible that it happened somewhere else,” Suarez said.

PHOENIX, Ariz. – The U.S. government says a new rule disqualifying more people from green cards if they use government benefits will not apply to immigrants with coronavirus or virus symptoms if they seek care. Advocates say they have been fielding panicked calls from immigrants who are worried about the impact on their status if they seek health care. As the coronavirus began to spread more widely in the U.S., supporters and lawmakers cautioned it could be detrimental to public health if some immigrants were too afraid to seek care. U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Washington, said the rule scares away people from seeking care, posing a public health risk for everyone. She tweeted after the new statement on Friday: “This is a huge win for immigrants, public health AND everyone!”___Associated Press reporter Amy Taxin contributed to this report

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Superintendent Alberto Carvalho announced on Friday Miami-Dade County public schools will be temporarily closed starting Monday, but the community feeding plan for children will be open and running at school cafeterias. Carvalho said a COVID-19 case applied to a patient who interacted with children in Miami-Dade County public schools. This is a developing story.

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump on Friday declared the coronavirus pandemic a national emergency in order to free up more money and resources. Trump said, “I don’t take responsibility at all” for the slow rollout of testing. “Through a very collective action and shared sacrifice, national determination, we will overcome the threat of the virus,” Trump said. Central to the aid package from Congress, which builds on an emergency $8.3 billion measure approved last week, is the free testing and sick pay provisions. Several lawmakers, including some close to Trump, have also been exposed to people who tested positive for the virus, and are self-isolating.