(CNN) While Covid-19 cases are once again surging in Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order Friday directing the state's health and education departments to issue rules preventing the implementation of school mask mandates. The order comes in response to "several Florida school boards considering or implementing mask mandates," the governor's office said, and is meant to "protect parents' freedom to choose whether their children wear masks." The Broward County School Board voted Wednesday to mandate masks after a meeting earlier this week was postponed following protests by a group opposing masks. More than 110,000 new Covid-19 cases were reported in that week, compared to more than 73,000 the week prior.

Source: CNN July 31, 2021 02:26 UTC