Florida Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D) has demanded the removal of Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo from his post due to his response to a measles outbreak at a local elementary school. Wasserman Schultz criticized Ladapo’s “risky ‘freedom of choice’ rhetoric” that promotes vaccine hesitancy and downplays the necessity of vaccination for public and personal health.
Manatee Bay Elementary School reported at least six students contracting measles, and more local cases may be connected to the school. However, Ladapo has not encouraged parents to vaccinate their children or insisted on vaccinations before students return to class.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), unvaccinated children need to stay away for three weeks during a measles outbreak. Ladapo recommended that unvaccinated children stay away for that amount of time but would not mandate it. In a letter to parents, Ladapo said that due to the high immunity rate in the community and the burden on families and educational cost of healthy children missing school, the state health department is leaving it to parents or guardians to decide on school attendance.
Wasserman Schultz is not alone in calling for Ladapo’s replacement. Mary Jo Trepka, the chair of the epidemiology department at Florida International University, and Latha Krishnaiyer, past president of the Broward County PTA and Florida PTA, have also joined in the demand. The Florida measles outbreak follows one last year in Ohio, in which the vast majority of affected children were unvaccinated.
Discover more from News Facts Network
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
