Florida’s Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo Recommends Against Healthy Kids Getting Covid-19 Vaccine

On Monday, Florida’s controversial Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo made the state the first to recommend against healthy children receiving the Covid-19 vaccine – the only state to do so – against the advice of federal health officials. 

Just last week, Florida’s state senate confirmed Ladapo to the position despite being accused of being a yes man for Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), who has been among the post vocal politicians against Covid-19 restrictions.

The state senate voted 24-15 to confirm Ladapo after a 40-minute debate where state Sen. Jason Pizzo (D) said Ladapo’s reluctance to comment on vaccines and masks convinced him that the doctor is a threat to the Florida population. Ladapo and DeSantis both believe that masks do not prevent the virus from spreading and that the government should not issue vaccine mandates.

At one point, Florida Democrats walked out of the session to protest the selection of Ladapo. When asked whether Florida should expand their Medicaid program under the Affordable Care Act, Ladapo stated that DeSantis did not want to expand Medicaid.

Pizzo said “when you are noncommittal to everything, then the optics are that you’re ‘yes’ man.”

Ladapo will work as Surgeon General while keeping his job at the University of Florida College of Medicine giving him an estimated salary of $430,000.