It was updated on Mar 7, 2022.
The Florida Department of Health will formally recommend that healthy children don't get vaccine against Covid-19, the state's surgeon general said Monday, the latest in a string of steps that Florida leaders have taken in defiance of federal public health guidance.
Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo speaks during a press conference.
According to the Associated Press, the Surgeon General said that Florida would be the first state to recommend against the vaccine for healthy children.
Ladapo cited the difficulty ofquantify[ing] with any accuracy and any confidence as the reason for his decision.
Ladapo did not say when the new guidance would be issued.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all children five and up receive the Covid-19 vaccine, which is safe and effective.
A recent study of New York health data, which has not yet been peer reviewed, showed that the vaccine's effectiveness declined rapidly in children under 12 when it came to preventing infections from the omicron variant, but the shot still provides more protection against severe illness and hospitalization.
The New York Times reported that public health experts still recommend that children get inoculated despite the New York study's findings.
26.4% of the population. The percentage of children in the US who are fully protected against Covid-19 is five to 11 years old, according to the CDC. A Kaiser Family Foundation poll found that almost half of the parents of five- to 11-year-olds still say their child won't get vaccine if it's required.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Monday that Ladapo's recommendation is not a good policy and defended the safety and efficacy of the vaccines for children and teenagers.
Florida's recommendation is the latest in a series of recent measures opposing Covid-19 restrictions that the state has taken in recent days, after Ladapo was formally confirmed by the state Senate in late February despite widespread criticism over his skepticism of Covid-19 mitigation measures like mask wearing. Ladapo and the governor held a press conference last week to push for legislation that would protect doctors from punishment if they go against public health guidance. The governor has not said whether or not he received a booster shot, despite the fact that he initially encouraged vaccinations.
The Florida Department of Health recommends against vaccines for healthy kids.
The CDC has new guidance on the coronaviruses.
Florida Surgeon General says he can't communicate while wearing a mask.
There are sweeping legislation signed by Florida Gov. DeSantis.
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