Without teachers watching, child abuse reports dropped during pandemic

Welcome to today's edition of the Florida Coronavirus Watch Newsletter.

As COVID cases and, consequently, COVID-related news dwindle, we have reduced the frequency of our Coronavirus Watch Newsletter to twice weekly. You can expect the newsletter in your inbox Mondays and Thursdays — or as urgent news dictates. Thank you for reading.

Here's what's happening

- When students were home during the pandemic, child abuse reporting dropped in northwest Florida. The height of the COVID-19 pandemic marked a dramatic decrease in child abuse hotline reporting, with a nearly 40% decline nationally.

The Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Centers (ECCAC) in Niceville and DeFuniak Springs saw an overall 30% decrease in caseloads in 2020. But as more children returned to the classrooms, those numbers began to climb and professionals are now seeing the aftermath of the pandemic.

Northwest Florida Daily News has the story for its subscribers.

- COVID antivirals can save lives, but access is still limited. President Biden has announced a plan to change that.

The antiviral Paxlovid, from Pfizer, was in short supply at the beginning of the year when COVID-19 rates were spiking, so doctors got used to rationing it to their most vulnerable patients. But now, with plenty of Paxlovid to go around, people are still getting very ill and dying who might be saved by the medication, administration officials said

- Why do my dogs smell like orange slices? Most people hit early with coronavirus lost their smell. Now, not so much. Scientists are starting to figure out why and what that means going forward.

Among those who lost their smell and taste earlier in the pandemic, research shows it returned within a month for 70-80% of people. But those whose senses didn't bounce back quickly are likely to continue to suffer.

USA Today has the story for its subscribers.

- Need to cancel your summer vacation due to COVID? Don't expect an Airbnb refund. More than two years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Airbnb will no longer refund trips disrupted by a COVID-19 infection.

The short-term rental’s extenuating circumstances policy had offered refunds or travel credit to reservations interrupted by a guest or host contracting the virus. That ends May 31, although qualifying reservations made before then are still eligible for refunds.

- Stay away from fake COVID vaccination cards. Justice Department officials announced charges last week against 21 people accused in connection with $149 million in false billings and theft from federal programs related to the government's COVID-19 response.

The sweep of suspects from across the country included physicians, marketers and manufacturers of fake vaccination cards along with purveyors of phony cures.

COVID info to know

COVID-19 will be an issue for a long time to come, and we think more education is better. Here's what you need to know.

ABOUT COVID

• Your complete guide to coronavirus and COVID-19

• Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson vaccine booster shots: Things to know

• Where and when can I get a booster/second booster in Florida?

• This story is free for everyone: Compare the spread of COVID-19 in your area

AVOIDING COVID

• Why N95, KN95 masks are so much more effective against omicron than cloth

• Are N95 and KN95 masks reusable and how should you store them?

• Can you avoid COVID if a member in your household has it? Ways to decrease your risk

• Do I still need to wear a mask? What the new CDC COVID mask guidance means for Florida

TESTING

• Is it the flu, a cold, or COVID-19? How to know, and when to get tested

• What's the difference between at-home tests, over-the-counter rapid tests, and PCR tests?

DO YOU HAVE COVID?

• Were you exposed to coronavirus? Did you test positive? If so, here's what to do next

• Long COVID: Why aren't my symptoms going away? Why did they come back? Am I a long-hauler?

What do you want to know about COVID-19? You ask, we'll try to answer

From a reader: "Can people get a 3rd shot of the J & J vaccine? If so how many months after their booster?"

Yes, you can. If you received Johnson & Johnson shots for both the vaccine and the booster, you are eligible for a 2nd booster. BUT, the CDC recommends you get a booster of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. You\ll need to wait at least 4 months after the first booster.

If you received a J&J shot the first time and Pfizer or Moderna for your first booster, you're still eligible for a 2nd Pfizer or Moderna booster if you're 50 and over, or are moderately or severely immunocompromised.

Anything you'd like to know? Ask your questions here.

Thank you for reading! We appreciate you trusting our statewide journalists to keep you safe and informed. If you are encouraged by our work and want to support your local journalists, please consider subscribing. Know someone who would benefit from this newsletter? Forward this email so they can sign up.

Chris' note of the day: Happy Cinco De Mayo! (For those who observe.) How did the anniversary of the day Mexico defeated the French army turn into a day Americans celebrate margarita specials? Here's a history of Cinco De Mayo across both cultures. Also, here's a list of the best deals you can still get today, and if you prefer staying home during drinking holidays here are three easy recipes to get you in the spirit anyway.

Here's what else is happening with the coronavirus in Florida today.

— C. A. Bridges, cbridges@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Without teachers watching, child abuse reports dropped during pandemic