Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber sent a letter to Ron DeSantis, saying the governor’s advice to Florida residents under 65 to avoid the newly available COVID vaccine is “entirely based on the politics of the Republican primary and not on what’s best for Florida constituents.” Via the Daily Beast:
“I have seen politicians do many things I thought were expedient, political, or simply gutless,” Gelber wrote to DeSantis, “These days, people expect as much. But urging your residents not to avail themselves of the one thing that can protect them from severe illness and death in order to revive your struggling campaign, is all of those things and worse. It is simply craven.”
On Sept. 13, DeSantis and Florida’s Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo told Floridians the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Food and Drug Administration were trying to use them “as guinea pigs” to test the new COVID vaccine that “has not been proven to be safe or effective.” Breaking with the advice of the White House and federal agencies, DeSantis advised residents of the state under the age of 65 to avoid getting the new shot.
His controversial advice comes during an uptick in COVID infections nationwide. Florida currently has the highest rates for COVID-related hospitalization in the nation, according to CDC data.
In response, CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen called DeSantis’ and Ladapo’s comments “dangerous.”
Like Florida doesn't have enough problems? In the past few weeks, more people have died from COVID in Florida than any other state in the country - including California, New York and Texas.
Florida also leads in hospitalizations with 3,500 being admitted weekly. But sure, Ron, play desperate political games with people's lives, you pathetic loser.
