Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is making headlines by taking a hard line against what he calls the “COVID-boosters”: those who are working to encourage people to get vaccinated against the coronavirus.
At a press conference held on Tuesday, DeSantis criticized the heavy-handed tactics of some public health authorities as “snooping around” and “intimidating”. He then called on his state’s legislature to “rein in these self-appointed experts” who “scare people into taking a vaccine”.
The Governor’s opposition to pro-vaccine groups is in stark contrast to the stance taken by President Donald Trump, who has been an outspoken advocate of getting vaccinated against the virus. Additionally, key health officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have seen the benefits of widespread vaccination, noting its potential to lower levels of community transmission and thereby reduce the amount of hospitalizations and deaths from the virus.
Furthermore, the Governor’s rhetoric has been worrying to health experts, as they have urged people to get vaccinated to ensure their safety and that of those around them. According to Dr. Alan F. Keshner, Chief Medical Officer of the American Medical Association, DeSantis’s statements were both “unfortunate” and “unwise”.
In the end, the social media storm created by DeSantis’s comments raises serious concerns about the reliability of his messaging on the pandemic and whether he is in tune with both current public health guidance and national trends on the virus. While the Governor may see himself as a leader taking a stand against the supposed “vaxxers”, the fact remains that vaccination remains the best defense we have against COVID-19.
