DeSantis’ new surgeon general opposes vaccination warrants

Governor of Florida Ron DeSantisRon DeSantisPoll: Trump Dominates 2024 Republican Primary Field Republican Politicians: Let OSHA Do Its Job Ben & Jerry’s Unveils New Flavor in Support of Cori Bush’s Public Safety Reform Bill MORE (R) introduced the state’s new surgeon general, who opposes vaccine and mask mandates amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Joseph Ladapo, who received his doctorate from Harvard Medical School and was a researcher at UCLA, began his role as Florida’s senior public health official on Tuesday.

“Like Governor DeSantis, Dr Ladapo is not against vaccines or masks – he’s against vaccination warrants and forced masking, ”Christina Pushaw, government spokesperson, told The Hill in a statement.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Ladapo said the state should focus on promoting good health practices, saying vaccines aren’t the only way to stay healthy.

“The state should promote good health, and vaccination is not the only way to achieve this. It was treated almost like a religion, and that is just plain insane, ”Ladapo said.

All three coronavirus vaccines approved for use in the United States have been shown to be effective in preventing the vast majority of serious illnesses, including against the highly contagious delta variant.

Lapado said Florida will promote measures that include “Vaccination, lose weight, exercise more, [and] eat more fruits and vegetables.

He said there is a “climate of mistrust” which has led people to reject vaccination. The distrust, he said, was caused by the scientific community taking up the science and “by distorting it to match their agendas.

“This idea that people can’t make their own decisions about health issues is wrong, and it’s not something we’re going to talk about,” Ladapo said.

Florida has become a battleground in the fight over vaccine and mask requirements to prevent the spread of COVID-19, with DeSantis issuing orders to prevent local governments and school districts from instituting their own terms. , even in the midst of this year’s delta surge.

In terms of precautions in schools, Ladapo said he was discussing “recommendations” with his team, but said the closure of schools during the pandemic was a “perfect example of how we have ignored the public health of blatantly “.

The Florida Democratic Party criticized his nomination in a statement.

“Instead of going with a trusted science advocate, DeSantis is playing with people’s lives again by naming someone who has tampered with anti-vaccine and anti-mask rhetoric, ”he said.

Pushaw said the only people criticizing DeSantis’ new surgeon general were “media activists” and the doctor’s resume “spoke for itself.”