Florida Surgeon General: State will be first to recommend against COVID vaccines for healthy children

Governor Ron DeSantis and Florida’s Surgeon General Joe Ladapo announced a move going against the CDC’s recommendation for vaccines for children on Monday.

The DeSantis administration has bucked the federal government and the CDC several times during the pandemic. They fought back against mask mandates, lockdowns, and now, the COVID-19 vaccine for children. “The Florida Department of Health is going to be the first state to officially recommend against the COVID vaccines for healthy children,” said Ladapo.

The announcement was made at the end of DeSantis’ hour-long panel in Palm Beach County in which the governor severed a moderator of a conversation criticizing COVID-19 mandates.

“We’re kind of scraping at the bottom of the barrel, particularly with healthy kids. In terms of actually being able to qualify with any accuracy and any confidence the even potential of benefit,” said Ladapo.

Word of the decision sent shockwaves all the way to Washington. Dr. Cameron Webb is on the White House COVID-19 response team. He said it’s not only disappointing but risky. “It breaks from the current scientific evidence. You know anytime you are communicating on a nuanced subject matter. For parents, this is a relatively new vaccine you want to make sure you are communicating to them the best information possible,” said Webb.

Ladapo didn’t specify what the state deems is a healthy child. Dr. Webb said telling people not to get the vaccine cuts the legs out of one of the key efforts to reduce the spread and prevent hospitalization and deaths.

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