TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and state Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo on Thursday announced new coronavirus policy recommendations that discourage mask wearing and push physicians to use off-label medications to treat the virus.
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The guidance, titled “ Buck the CDC,” is the Republican governor’s latest break with federal officials over COVID-19 rules, a feud that has boosted his prominence in the GOP as he eyes a 2024 presidential bid.
“People want to live freely in Florida, without corporate masking creating a two-tier society and without overbearing isolation for children,” DeSantis said in a statement. “We are empowering health care practitioners to follow science, not (Dr. Anthony) Fauci’s status quo.”
Florida’s new policy advises businesses to stop requiring masks for workers, as the state’s health guidance does not rely on wearing masks in a community setting. It also suggests that adults and children who test positive for COVID-19 should isolate for five days.
In addition, the DeSantis administration is directing physicians to exercise their own judgment when treating virus patients, telling them to consider “emerging treatments backed by quality evidence, with appropriate patient informed consent, including off-label use or as part of a clinical trial.”
“It’s really been a tragedy that my colleagues, my physician colleagues, have decided that it’s more important to stick with whatever the CDC or Dr. Fauci is saying than relying on their clinical wisdom, experience and scientific expertise, which is what doctors usually do,” Ladapo said.
The guidance comes a day after the Florida state Senate approved the nomination of Ladapo as surgeon general, over criticism that his virus health policy is too aligned with the politics of DeSantis. DeSantis has become one of the GOP’s biggest stars through his fierce opposition to COVID-19 lockdowns and mandates for masks and vaccines.
Last year, the governor signed a bill to prevent private businesses from having COVID-19 vaccine mandates unless they allow workers to opt out for medical reasons, religious beliefs, immunity based on a previous infection, regular testing or an agreement to wear protective gear. The law also includes fines for businesses that fire workers without allowing for the exemptions.
DeSantis is a courageous hero and a political genius. More importantly, an unremitting truth-seeker. He is the one who is the most qualified to be the Republican nominee in 2024.
Finally someone who is willing to ignore the centers for deception and corruption. None of their rapidly evolving, dangerous, life altering and ineffective guidance ever relied on true science. There was never and continues to be no science that shows any effectiveness from mask wearing. Same for lockdowns.
There is much evidence that drugs the CDC actively discouraged and disparaged are even MORE effective than the drugs the cdc currently recommends and approves for covid. Safer, too.
They NEVER relied on science. Just bullying, politics, money, and power grabs. Don’t believe a word they say.
The real question is what are the real numbers in Florida. Some make it seem like Florida’s death and hospilitazion rates are very high while others make florida look fairly average.
There is also the question of florida officials in cities claiming the state is undercounting and manipulating data. In either case, with the virus waning, florida should be no worse off than anywhere else even though its surgeon General is not exactly star quality.
Florida has had several cases of kids getting the virus and desantis in an interview wasn’t even aware that his government requested more small ventilators and breathing machines.
According to a Hopkins study, Florida’s rate is 155 per 100k. California’s is 141.
In other words, desantis has not been all that more successful than the worst states.
He is sounding more unhinged than usual.
Everyone should ignore Desantis, someone that would be willing for people to die if he thinks it would make him popular. Just listen to the medical experts.