TAMPA, Fla. (FNN) – In this week’s episode of the FNN Politics & Power Series, Dr. Krishna Tewari, hospitalist and CEO of Inpatient Specialists Group, LLC, spoke with Mellissa about his network of fellow hospitalists, the COVID-19 pandemic and its permanent impact on medical innovation, the impact of Tampa’s growing population on his business, and more.

Catch new episodes of the FNN Politics & Power Series every Thursday at 1pm ET on Facebook (@Florida National News or @FNN News TV) or on YouTube (www.youtube.com/c/floridanationalnews).

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Mayor Jerry L. Demings has appointed Dr. Raul Pino as the next Orange County Director of Health Services.

“Dr. Pino is a revered public health expert in Orange County,” said Mayor Demings. “He has an exceptional reputation amongst our citizens, as well as the professional medical community in Central Florida.”

Dr. Pino served as the Chief Health Officer of the Department of Health in Orange County for the past three years. From March 2020, Pino worked side-by-side with Mayor Demings through 166 COVID-19 news conferences.

As the Director of the Health Services Department, Dr. Pino will oversee all strategic, operational and fiscal responsibilities of the department. This includes the oversight of the county’s Corrections Health Services, Drug-Free Office, Orange County Medical Clinic, Animal Services and Mosquito Control Division, as well as any response to unique public health matters affecting county residents.

“Dr. Pino has a rich history in working with our Health Services Department to meet the needs of our community,” said Mayor Demings. “During these most recent years, Dr. Pino’s leadership has been instrumental in the success of our public health initiatives, including our response to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Dr. Pino’s educational background includes a Doctor of Medicine degree from the Instituto Superior de Ciencicias Medicas de la Universidad de La Habana, Havana, Cuba, as well as a Master’s degree in Public Health from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. Prior to coming to the state of Florida in 2019, Dr. Pino served as the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Health from 2015-2019.

“He has proven himself as an asset to our public health efforts and will continue to provide valuable leadership to our community in his new role with Orange County,” added the Mayor.

Dr. Pino’s appointment will be effective April 26, 2022, upon approval by the Board of County Commissioners. His first day as Health Services Director will be May 2, 2022.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Following a Federal Court decision and updated directives from the Transportation Security Administration, the wearing of facial coverings will no longer be mandated at Orlando International Airport.

The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, which runs OIA, released the following statement:

“The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority will continue to remain vigilant in its efforts to promote a safe, secure and sanitized environment for its guests through the enhanced cleaning methods we’ve enacted over the course of the pandemic. However, the signage and messaging throughout the airport campus will be removed to support the current enforcement climate.

“The CDC continues to recommend that people wear masks in indoor public transportation settings as a preventative measure against COVID-19. Each individual can proceed to wear a face mask if they feel it is important for their health and the health of their family. We can expect that some of our industry partners may require a mask be worn in our airports and we need to respect that decision as well.”