The Latest Transparent Political Ploy Shows DeSantis Will Stop at Literally Nothing to Promote His Dangerous Agenda
Yesterday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis held a roundtable with his controversial surgeon general, Dr. Joseph Ladapo, and other discredited conspiracy theorists. At the roundtable, Governor DeSantis and Dr. Ladapo announced that Florida would advise against vaccinating healthy children for COVID-19. This comes on the heels of Governor DeSantis lashing out at a group of high school students for choosing to wear masks at a photo-op.
Numerous health organizations endorse vaccinations for children, citing the safety of vaccines and the protection they provide against serious illness, hospitalization, and death. But Governor DeSantis has refused to lead according to science throughout this pandemic, choosing instead to put his own political ambitions over the health and safety of people in his state.
Below is a roundup of headlines reacting to Governor DeSantis’ dangerous new guidance:
South Florida Sun Sentinel: DeSantis Sacrifices Floridians For His Personal Ambition. “Consider what happened Monday. DeSantis’ surgeon general, Joseph Ladapo, announced that the Department of Health will not recommend healthy children get COVID-19 vaccinations and will in fact recommend against it. That was another irresponsible act in DeSantis’ full-bore campaign to undercut common-sense health measures as invasions of ‘freedom.’ As governor, DeSantis has dealt with the coronavirus with less responsibility than Trump did at the White House. But Florida’s fringe surgeon general would likely become the nation’s fringe surgeon general if President DeSantis could promote him.” [South Florida Sun Sentinel, 3/7/22]
Tampa Bay Times: Florida Says Healthy Kids Shouldn’t Get COVID Vaccine, Contradicting CDC. “The Florida Department of Health is poised to officially recommend against giving coronavirus vaccines to healthy children… The announcement came after a 90-minute discussion among 10 doctors and researchers who rejected the benefits of various coronavirus mitigation measures such as vaccine mandates, mask requirements and business and school closures, saying instead those policies only caused harm.” [Tampa Bay Times, 3/7/22]
ABC News: DeSantis Aide Bucks Medical Consensus That Healthy Children Should Get COVID Vaccine. “Despite widespread support for pediatric COVID-19 vaccinations from the nation’s top health officials, Florida will become the first state in the country to advise against vaccinating healthy children for COVID-19, the state’s Surgeon General, Dr. Joseph A. Ladapo, announced on Monday… Many health experts across the country have also vehemently pushed back on claims that vaccines may not be necessary for children, urging the importance of vaccines for all eligible children to protect against severe illness.” [ABC News, 3/7/22]
WTVX: Florida Officials Surprised by Surgeon General’s Recommendation Against Vaccine For Kids. “Staff at the Florida Department of Health and some officials in Governor Ron DeSantis’ Office were surprised on Monday when the state’s top doctor, Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo, ended an event alongside the governor by recommending against healthy kids getting vaccinated for COVID-19, according to two officials within the Department of Health and a third state source… ‘He’s giving credibility to the people that don’t believe in the science,’ said one Department of Health official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media on this issue.” [WTVX, 3/7/22]
WUSF: Florida Will Recommend That Healthy Children Don’t Need The COVID Vaccine. “Florida ‘is going to be the first state to officially recommend against the COVID-19 vaccines for healthy children,’ Ladapo said. He did not say when the guidelines would take effect or specify ages involved. The panel, convened to discuss ‘failures’ criticized coronavirus lockdowns and vaccine mandates and lamented what the physicians portrayed as political decisions by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.” [WUSF, 3/7/22]
Bloomberg: Florida To Recommend Against Covid Shots For Healthy Children. “‘We’re kind of scraping at the bottom of the barrel, particularly with healthy kids, in terms of actually being able to quantify with any accuracy and any confidence the even potential of benefit,’ Ladapo said Monday during a 90-minute panel discussion hosted by Governor Ron DeSantis.” [Bloomberg, 3/7/22]
Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Florida To Be First State To Recommend Healthy Kids Not Get COVID-19 Vaccine, Contradicting CDC. “The announcement came after multiple health experts picked by DeSantis to participate in the roundtable downplayed the importance of the vaccine for children, with some saying the benefits of vaccination do not outweigh the risks… Medical experts across Florida expressed concerns Monday about the decision not to recommend vaccines for children.” [Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 3/7/22]
WPBF: Florida To Recommend Against COVID-19 Vaccines For Healthy Children, Surgeon General Says. “Ladapo made the announcement at a roundtable event organized by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis that featured a group of doctors who criticized coronavirus lockdowns and mandate policies. It was not immediately clear when the state would release its health guidance… Late last month, Ladapo and DeSantis announced new policy recommendations that discouraged mask-wearing and directed physicians to exercise their own judgment when treating virus patients, including the use of emerging treatments and off-label medications.” [WPBF, 3/8/22]
First Coast News: ‘This Is A Very Sad Day For The State Of Florida:’ Outrage Over New COVID Recommendation For Children. “‘This is a very sad day for the state of Florida and a worse day for children,’ Goldhagen said. ‘This is a devastating policy that will result in expanded number of illnesses of children, increased numbers of hospitalizations and increased numbers of death,’ he said… Goldhagen said he advises parents to listen to their pediatricians and the CDC, not Ladapo and DeSantis.” [First Coast News, 3/7/22]
Local 10: COVID Vaccines For Kids: Pediatrician Should Decide, Not Ladapo, Expert Says. “While Gov. Ron DeSantis led a roundtable discussion on Monday, Florida’s new surgeon general said the state will issue a recommendation against COVID-19 vaccinations for healthy children… ‘I am concerned that people are being provided misinformation,’ said Marty, an infectious disease expert with Florida International University.” [Local 10, 3/7/22]