Ron DeSantis

"I do disagree with Governor DeSantis. The local official should have control here," the Republican senator said Sunday.

Parents will still have the ability to opt out of these mandates by following a specific process.

Governor Ron DeSantis faces increasing backlash for his pandemic response, with over 13,700 people hospitalized across the state due to COVID.

The Florida governor and the president have traded barbs over coronavirus measures as the delta variant runs rampant in the Sunshine State.

"It's scary what is happening in Florida," Norwegian's attorney, Derek Shaffer, said. "All we're doing is trying to protect our staff and passengers."

"Requiring masks at school will protect our children. Currying favor with narrow political interests will not," Elvin Dowling said Friday.

DeSantis took aim at comments from the president in regard to governors, while also questioning him looking to "single out Florida over COVID."

Florida is currently grappling with a new surge in COVID-19 cases, prompting criticism of Governor Ron DeSantis who has opposed public health restrictions.

"Governor who? ... That's my response," said President Joe Biden. The state of Florida currently accounts for one in five new cases of COVID-19 nationwide.

Mayor Jerry Demings said the "only thing" that's changed for the GOP governor is "his polling amongst his base."

Poll shows DeSantis losing the governor's race in a theoretical match up with Democrat Charlie Crist.

The Miami-Dade County emergency medicine resident said: "It feels like COVID is back but with a vengeance."

The niece of the former president criticized the Florida governor, who is under fire over his opposition to lockdowns or new restrictions to curb COVID.

"Why don't you do your job? Why don't you get this border secure?" the Florida governor said at a press conference referencing Biden.

DeSantis, a frontrunner for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, may be looking at a tough reelection.

"Until rates come down, I have an obligation to do what I can to protect the health and well-being of our ACPS community," ACPS Superintendent Carlee Simon wrote.

"We are going to have schools open. We are protecting every Floridian's job in this state," the governor said.

Florida has become the epicenter of the latest wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, and is now leading the nation in overall hospitalizations and daily new cases.

COVID hospitalized 32 children per day in Florida during the final week of July, according to CDC data.

The more than 50,000 hospitalizations is the most since February, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Broward County, alongside Miami-Dade County, witnessed the highest number of COVID hospitalizations in the country last week.

The Democratic gubernatorial hopeful accused DeSantis of keeping Floridians "in the dark" about COVID-19 data.

People queued for hours to get tested as Florida recorded a record breaking 21,683 new cases on July 31.

"'We have protected the vulnerable by vaccinating the older population,'" tweeted DeSantis, quoting anti-lockdown Stanford Professor Dr. Jay Bhattacharya.

Mayor Dan Gelber called DeSantis "the pied piper leading everybody off a cliff."

"Floridians have been, are, and will remain free to choose what's best for themselves and their families," DeSantis said.

"Based on our port agreement with San Juan, unvaccinated guests will have to remain on board during our visits there," Carnival Cruises announced to guests.

"What's extraordinary is the speed at which we are currently seeing new cases. The slope is pretty steep, and we haven't seen the end of it," said Dr. Vincent Hsu.

"It's not healthy for these students to be sitting there all day, 6-year-old kids in kindergarten covered in masks," Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said.

"Even I can admit that Donald Trump has an obnoxious arrogance about him that rubs some people the wrong way," the adult film actress told Newsweek.