Community News · Broward County
Florida Flu Season Starts Early; Broward Schools Launch Cardiac Safety Initiative
The Walgreens Flu Index shows Florida as a flu hot spot as of Oct. 19, with a score of 4.32 versus the national average of 2.31, and Broward and Palm Beach counties reporting higher case counts week over week. The season is dominated by an H1N1 strain with a gene mutation aiding immune evasion, though this year's vaccine targets that strain. In response to cardiac emergencies in young athletes, Broward County Public Schools launched the Heart Safe Certified School initiative on Oct. 19 with Nicklaus Children's Hospital and Project ADAM, aiming to certify every traditional school by end of 2027. Separately, Boca Raton Fire Rescue now equips firefighter-paramedics with whole blood for field use, and the South Florida Proton Therapy Institute in Delray Beach faces a proposed federal Medicare reimbursement cut of about 30% affecting its primarily Medicare patient population.