After the last couple years of living through a global pandemic, it seems as though most of us are itching to get in some good travel time.

Local offices, private companies and some colleges are already requiring vaccines.

Students will not be required to wear face coverings or masks during summer classes at Marion County Public Schools after a unanimous vote from the school board.

OCALA, Fla. – Lawmakers are teaming up to give educators clear face masks to help the relationship between students and teachers in classrooms. “When children get to see your face, they are more comfortable with what you’re doing,” Faye said. Goring said wearing a regular mask has made it difficult to teach sounds and words to her preschoolers. “I’m like, ‘No guys,’ so they had to take their masks off so they can actually see (me),” Goring said. The Kiwanis Club of Ocala and the Early Learning Coalition of Marion County purchased 2,600 masks, which will be distributed to 160 early learning centers in the community.

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By now, wearing a face mask when you’re out and about or around crowds of people should be nothing new. Here’s what the WHO had to say about using a fabric mask:Wash your hands before putting on the mask. If you need to use the mask again, hold it at the elastic loops when removing it from the bag. If hot water is not available, wash the mask in soap or detergent and room-temperature water, followed by either boiling the mask for 1 minute OR; by soaking the mask in 0.1% chlorine for 1 minute and thoroughly rinsing the mask with room-temperature water (there should not be any toxic residue of chlorine on the mask). Make sure you’re continuing to socially distance yourself from people who aren’t in your household, keep washing those hands and try to avoid touching your face as much as possible.

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 most recent edition of Ask Trooper Steve centers around face masks. “If you’ve been on my Facebook page recently, you might’ve seen something that started quite the conversation earlier this week,” Trooper Steve said. “Under the instructions for a disabled decal, for your vehicle it specifically says you are not to drive around with it hanging from your rear view mirror,” he said. Putting those masks in places where we remember them now includes hanging them from the rear view mirror for some of you. Trooper Steve suggested hanging them near your gearshift or attach it to the center console.

Ha'Ani Hogan creates Orlando Face Mask Strong to provide thousands of masks to area hospitals, nursing homes and local leaders. If you need help with the Public File, call 407-291-6000.

If you need help with the Public File, call 407-291-6000. Copyright © 2020 ClickOrlando.com is managed by Graham Digital and pubished by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings.

A day after Florida netted the highest positive cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic arrived in the state on March 1, doctors in Southwest Florida pleaded with the public to wear face masks and avoid large gatherings. On Friday, Florida reported nearly 9,000 new positive cases of the coronavirus with a 13% positivity rate compared to the number of tests. The recent cases in Florida have trended younger, the median age in Florida dropped from above 65 to 39 in the past few weeks. A surgical mask or medical mask protects the wearer’s nose and mouth from contact with droplets, splashes and sprays that may contain germs. “That’s my message to the public today is please wear a mask when you’re in a crowded area.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – New guidelines take effect on Saturday requiring residents and visitors of Orange County to wear face masks in public where social distancing is impossible. The mandate comes as the number of new cases in Florida overall have increased but in Orange County new cases have reached a record high since the beginning of the pandemic. Orange County reported 29 new cases on June 1, on Friday the county reported 374 new cases in a single day. The Mayor sent a copy of the executive order to Governor Ron DeSantis’ office hoping for a statewide mandate as well. “They have every right to do that and they have every right to enforce that,” DeSantis said of counties issuing their own mask mandates.

In Orange County, residents will be required to wear a face covering under an executive order beginning June 20. According to Emergency Medicine Physician Dr. Rajiv Bahl, homemade cloth masks provide an important barrier and help slow the spread of the COVID-19. Jo-Ann’s shared a video tutorial about how to make a face mask:There are also several organizations and companies giving away free face masks. Athletic apparel company DHVANI has offered to give every American a free mask. Anyone who goes to an Orange County coronavirus testing site is also given a free box of face masks and hand sanitizer.

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, is it illegal to wear a mask while driving? Published: May 18, 2020, 7:08 amIf you need help with the Public File, call 407-291-6000.