Trump's Surgeon General slammed Florida's ban on mask mandates: 'We're letting politics get in the way of protecting our youth'

During a White House coronavirus briefing, Dr. Jerome Adams wears a mask to cover his face. Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty ImagesTrump's Surgeon General condemned Florida's ban against mask mandates.He said to CBS This Morning, "We're letting politics stand in the way of protecting youth."Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis threatened to withhold the salaries of school board members who have enacted the mandates.Check out more stories from Insider's business page.Jerome Adams, former US Surgeon General, was under President Trump and he fought against mask mandates being banned in schools. He said, "We're letting politicians get in the way protecting our youth," CBS This Morning Tuesday.Adams specifically referred to an order from Florida Governor. Ron DeSantis threatened to revoke the mandates and with salary cuts for any school board members who have put them in.Adams stated that he was a father and believes it is unconscionable. "When your public health officials tell you that they have these tools, you can't tie down school and public health officials.Adams stated that he expects the virus to spread more widely and increase hospitalizations.He told CBS that "fortunately, with higher vaccination rates we're going to not see as many deaths than we could otherwise see," but it will be difficult the next few weeks. Parents, if your children are older than 12, please speak to your doctor and get all your questions answered.Adams encouraged the public to keep track of COVID-19 numbers so they can make their own decisions about whether to wear a mask or not, regardless what government officials decide.According to NPR, Friday's 23,903 new infections reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Florida was the highest single-day total since the outbreak.According to CBS This Morning, nearly 94,000 children in the US have been diagnosed with COVID-19 over the past week.Business Insider has the original article.