ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran came to Orlando Monday to see a demonstration of how the Florida Virtual School is working.

State education leaders are still deciding whether to extend hybrid education options for students, options that many parents and students say allow them to learn safely from home.

And Central Florida medical experts are warning that if the state doesn't extend the hybrid education options, residents can kiss social distancing in the schools goodbye.

Children’s lung specialist Dr. Akinyemi Ajayi knows from experience how dangerous COVID-19 can be.

“I know people who have died, I know people who have gotten incredibly sick,” he said.

Ajayi is a member of the Orange County public schools medical advisory board.

The district has seen 520 positive cases of the virus in schools since August, with 89 students and staff testing positive just in the last week.

But that’s relatively low compared to the more than 220,000 students and staff in the district.

Ajayi says the reason for that is because the schools are practicing the three things medical experts have preached all along.

“Wearing masks, hand washing, and social distancing,” he said.

Having all three is crucial, Ajayi said.

Many worry that if the state doesn’t extend options for students to learn from home, social distancing will become impossible there.

“My concern is that this is going to lead to a far worsening of things, and it will get children sick, and parents and grandparents,” Ajayi said.

Corcoran disagreed that the limited attendance at schools has made a difference.

“The lack of spread isn’t because of the lack of capacity we have school districts," he said. "With over 80% from day one with their kids and no discernible difference in spread, in infection rate, in anything between those that are at 50%, so the facts are that schools are a safe place."

Corcoran points to reports that many outbreaks in schools here in Central Florida have been linked to outside community events like birthday parties.

“They all happen off campus, not on campus,” he said.

While Ajayi agreed that people in the community shouldn’t get complacent, he affirms that capacity in schools matters.

“The reality of it is it only works when we do all three legs of this thing, otherwise it doesn’t work at all,” he said.

Corcoran said his office is conferring with the state’s 67 superintendents now to see what the best options will be going forward.

He says they hope to have a decision by the end of November.