We thought the end was in sight. Things were returning to normal. Summer trips were being taken and family reunions were planned. Then, the highly transmissible Delta variant of COVID-19 caused breakthrough infections and a pandemic surge.
The result? The COVID unit at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital (TMH) is back open and busier than ever. Schools are reopening to an executive order from Gov. Ron DeSantis barring mask mandates in classrooms. Businesses are back to requiring masks amid widespread calls for more people to get vaccinated.
We hear from Dr. Heemanshi Shah, chair of the medical staff at TMH; Leon County Commissioner Brian Welch, who doubles as a high school teacher; and Florida Conservation Voters’ Communications Manager Carson Mitchell, who was our first guest on this podcast series last fall.