¶ DeSantis Spread Misinformation And Elevated The Fringe On COVID-19, Underperformed National Averages On Infection and Death Rates
Highlights:
- Under Ron DeSantis, Florida ranked above the national average for COVID-19 cases and deaths.
- As of April 2023, Florida ranked 8th among states on total COVID-19 cases per capita and 13th among states on total COVID-19 deaths per capita.
- In 2021, Florida ranked 9th among states for COVID-19 deaths per capita.
- Florida had the worst summer 2021 COVID-19 deaths among all states.
- As of April 2023, Florida ranked 8th among states on total COVID-19 cases per capita and 13th among states on total COVID-19 deaths per capita.
- Ron DeSantis personally spread misinformation about the COVID-19, including that the vaccine caused fertility issues, getting boosted would make people more likely to get COVID-19, masking in schools was ineffective, that the state was overcounting COVID-19 deaths, that undocumented people were to blame for the spread of COVID-19, and that natural immunity was the best way to fight against COVID-19.
- Dr. Fauci cited DeSantis among other politicians whose rhetoric led to him having to get a security detail amid threats on his life.
- Ron DeSantis’ advisors, including his surgeon general and other COVID-19 advisors, held fringe views on the virus.
- Despite his subsequent political branding, Ron DeSantis praised Dr. Anthony Fauci in the spring of 2020, arguing Fauci was “really doing a good job” and citing his guidance on COVID-19 on at least 10 occasions.
¶ Florida Ranked Above The National Average For COVID-19 Cases And COVID Deaths
¶ As Of April 2023, Florida Ranked 8th Among States On Total COVID-19 Cases Per Capita
April 2023: Florida Had 35,119 Cases Of COVID-19 Per 100,000 Residents, Ranking It As 8 Of 50 States. According to the New York Times COVID-19 map, Florida had 35,064 cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 residents. Florida ranked below Rhode Island, Alaska, Kentucky, North Dakota, West Virginia, Tennessee, and South Carolina.
[New York Times, “Coronavirus in the US: Latest Map and Case Count,” accessed 4/27/23]
Florida Case Count Was Above The National Average Of 31,316 Cases Per Capita. According to the New York Times COVID-19 map, Florida had 35,119 cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 residents, against a national average of 31,316 per 100,000 residents. [New York Times, “Coronavirus in the US: Latest Map and Case Count,” accessed 3/8/23]
¶ As Of April 2023, Florida Ranked 13th Among States On Total COVID-19 Deaths Per Capita
April 2023: Florida Had 404 COVID Deaths Of COVID-19 Per 100,000 Residents, Ranking It As 13 Among States. According to the New York Times COVID-19 map, Florida had 406 cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 residents. Florida followed Arizona, West Virginia, Mississippi, Alabama, New Mexico, Arkansas, Tennessee, Michigan, Oklahoma, New York, Kentucky, And New Jersey.
[New York Times, “Coronavirus in the US: Latest Map and Case Count,” accessed 4/27/23]
Florida Death Count Was Above The National Average Of 341 Deaths Per Capita. According to the New York Times COVID-19 map, Florida had 406 COVID deaths per 100,000 residents, against a national average of 342 COVID deaths per 100,000 residents. [New York Times, “Coronavirus in the US: Latest Map and Case Count,” accessed 4/27/23]
¶ For 2021, Florida Ranked 9th Among States For COVID-19 Deaths Per Capita
2021: Florida Ranked 9th Among States In COVID-19 Deaths Per Capita, 190 Deaths Per 100,000 Residents. According to NBC-LX, Florida had 190 COVID deaths per 100,000 residents for the year 2021, ranking 9th among states. [NBC-LX, 12/27/21]
- The National Average COVID-19 Deaths Per Capita Was 140 Per 100,000. According to NBC-LX, “The national average is 144 deaths per 100k with 473,569 deaths in total nationwide.” [NBC-LX, 12/27/21]
¶ Florida Had Worst Summer 2021 COVID-19 Deaths Among All States, Amid Delta-Variant Fueled Surge
Florida Politics HEADLINE: “Florida Had Nation’s Worst COVID-19 Death Rate During Summer Surge”
[Florida Politics, 10/8/21]
Florida Had Both The Highest Per Capita Deaths From COVID And The Highest Raw Number Of COVID Deaths During Summer 2021 Delta Variant-Fueled Surge. According to Florida Politics, “The delta variant-driven summer surge of 2021 was deadlier in Florida than in any other state. The latest federal COVID-19 reports covering the period since June 20 — which roughly coincided with the time the summer surge began — shows that more people have since been reported to have died of the disease in Florida than in any other state. Florida’s per-capita rate of reported COVID-19 deaths also has been higher than any other state in the period, which covers though Wednesday. […] More people were reported to have died in Florida since June 20 than in any other state — more than Texas, California, or Arizona. Even when Florida’s large population is factored in, Florida’s per-capita death rate was worse than all other states’, including smaller Southern states that suffered harsh summer surges, such as Louisiana and Arkansas.” [Florida Politics, 10/8/21]
18,040 Floridians Died Of COVID-19 In The Summer 2021 Reporting Period, Or 84 Deaths Per 100,000 Residents, Outpacing Other States. According to Florida Politics, “The delta variant-driven summer surge of 2021 was deadlier in Florida than in any other state. […] Since June 20, 18,040 Floridians were reported to have died of COVID-19, according to the data. In the same period, the second highest death toll was found in Texas, 14,032. California had the nation’s third highest COVID-19 death toll during that period, with 6,338 reported deaths; followed by Georgia, 5,307; and North Carolina, 3,472. Since June 20, 84 out of every 100,000 Floridians were reported to have died of COVID-19, according to the CDC data. That rate, adjusting for Florida’s large population, is the worst in the nation. The second highest per-capita rate was in Mississippi, where 81 deaths were reported per 100,000 people since June 20. The next highest per-capita death rates were Louisiana, 73; Alabama, 67; and Arkansas, 63.” [Florida Politics, 10/8/21]
¶ At The Start Of The Pandemic, DeSantis Locked Down Florida, Instituting A Stay-At-Home Order While Closing Restaurants And Schools
¶ March 2020: DeSantis Closed Restaurants From In-House Dining
March 2020: DeSantis Closed Restaurants In The State For In-House Dining. According to the Tampa Bay Times, “DeSantis still has not supported such a sweeping restriction, but on Friday he went further than before, closing all restaurants in the state to in-house dining. The announcement came in the form of an executive order sent to reporters at 2:12 p.m., to ‘take immediate effect.’ It was an expansion of the governor's rule from earlier in the week, which closed any bars that did not serve food and allowed restaurants to continue operating at half-capacity.” [Tampa Bay Times, 3/20/20]
- DeSantis: “We’ve Got To Do What Is Safe For Everybody.” According to the Tampa Bay Times, “When the order came out, many restaurant workers - serving the last trickle of customers in thin lunch crowds - immediately lost their jobs. The goal, DeSantis said, had been to allow owners to keep earning money while offering families a place to go amid a time of great anxiety. Some restaurants heeded the advice, he said, but others did not. ‘We don't have time to police that so we're going to takeout and delivery only,’ DeSantis said, calling it ‘somewhat unfortunate.’ ‘It's going to be hard for restaurants to survive in this environment,’ he added, but the state has eased restrictions to allow some to sell alcohol to-go with food, which the governor hopes will help. ‘We've got to do what is safe for everybody,’ he said.” [Tampa Bay Times, 3/20/20]
¶ April 2020: DeSantis Put A 30-Day Stay-At-Home Order In Place
April 2020: DeSantis Issued A 30-Day Stay-At-Home Order For Florida, With Exceptions For Essential Personnel. According to Florida Today, “Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Wednesday he would issue an order for Floridians to stay at home for the next 30 days and only leave for essential services. The order begins at 12:01 a.m. Friday. DeSantis previously had resisted issuing a stay-at-home order, but said Wednesday in Tallahassee he decided to issue the order after President Trump extended the national social distancing guidelines for an additional 30 days. Under the ‘safer at home’ order, DeSantis said people will be allowed to engage in ‘essential activities’ but should stay at home otherwise.” [Florida Today, 4/1/20]
¶ April 2020: DeSantis Announced Schools Would Be Closed For A Remainder Of The School Year
In April 2020, DeSantis Announced Schools Would Be Closed For A Remainder Of The School Year. According to the Tampa Bay Times, “Also Saturday, the governor announced that schools will remain closed for the remainder of the school year. He said that the decision was made after discussions with parents and teachers around the state and concluding that distance learning was successful. ‘We spoke with a lot of folks throughout the state. There were some differing opinions,’’ he said. ‘Some parents were not interested in their kids going back. For others, it’s been tough around the house and they would have liked to have seen them go back.’ But he said they concluded students were doing well with distance learning and decided to continue keeping them home.” [Tampa Bay Times, 4/18/20]
¶ DeSantis Issued Guidelines That Allowed Municipalities To Penalize Those Who Did Not Comply With Social Distancing Guidelines, Restrictions On Restaurants
DeSantis’ Phase 3 Reopening Removed Ability For Municipalities To Punish And Enforce Those Who Did Not Comply With Social Distance Guidelines. According to the Tampa Bay Times, “A day earlier, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a sweeping order that lifted all state restrictions on businesses, including provisions that let some restaurants have full dining rooms again. It also gutted the ability of municipalities to penalize people who violate social-distancing guidelines. The order was a continuation of DeSantis' long-running push to reopen the state’s pandemic-battered economy, but the directive also unleashed confusion. Local officials and business owners said they were caught off guard by the order over the weekend and on Tuesday some were still figuring out what rules they needed to put in place and follow. Now, DeSantis' order appears to be creating a rift through Florida’s hospitality industry, which is one of the state’s biggest economic engines.” [Tampa Bay Times, 9/30/20]
DeSantis Announced Florida Would Phase 3 Reopening, Which Removed Restrictions On Restaurants And Bars. According to News 4 Jax, “Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Friday afternoon that Florida will move into Phase 3 of reopening, a move that will roll back many of the restrictions put in place over the last six months of the coronavirus pandemic. That means all statewide restrictions on bars and restaurants will be removed, DeSantis said, and the changes will go into effect immediately. ‘I think that this will be very, very important to the industry,’ DeSantis said. ‘The order that I’m signing today will guarantee restaurants can operate and will not allow closures. They can operate at a minimum of 50%, regardless of local rule.’ While the governor said bars and restaurants can go back to normal capacity local governments can still put some restrictions in place as long as they allow at least 50% capacity.” [News 4 Jax, 9/25/20]
¶ DeSantis Personally Spread Misinformation On Vaccines And COVID-19 Procedures
¶ DeSantis Falsely Claimed COVID-19 Vaccines Cause Fertility Issues
DeSantis Claimed That The COVID-19 Vaccine Causes Fertility Issues. According to Rolling Stone, “DeSantis hasn’t been so shy about bashing the vaccine in public, effectively discouraging Floridians from receiving it as Covid continues to spread throughout the country. The Republican implied on Thursday that vaccines harm fertility, even though there’s no evidence to support that claim.” [Rolling Stone, 1/21/22]
- American Journal of Epidemiology: The COVID-19 Vaccine Has No Negative Impact On The Ability To Conceive. According to Rolling Stone, “Being vaccinated for Covid-19 in no way negatively affects the ability to conceive. A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology the same day DeSantis made that comment mades that clear. ‘We found no adverse association between … vaccination and fertility,’ the study’s authors wrote. [Rolling Stone, 1/21/22]
¶ Fact-Checkers Rated DeSantis’ Claim That People Were More Likely To Catch COVID-19 If They Were Boosted As “Not True”
Local News’ Trust Index Rated DeSantis’ Claims That People Were More Likely To Catch COVID-19 If They Were Boosted As “Not True.” According to News 4 Jax, “News4JAX ran a statement Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis made through the Trust Index. While speaking to a crowd in Osceola County on Tuesday night, DeSantis said that you are more likely to get infected with COVID-19 if you get multiple booster shots, based on the data he has reviewed. ‘I think if you look at the data now, people who have had multiple boosters are actually more likely to get infected right now,’ DeSantis said at the Florida Sheriffs Association 2022 Summer Conference Awards Banquet. News4JAX contacted the governor’s office to find out what data DeSantis was referring to when he said that COVID-19 booster shots make you more susceptible to catching the coronavirus, but we haven’t heard back about the source of the governor’s information. We did, however, talk with two medical professionals, both of whom say the governor’s statement is misleading. […] So to DeSantis’ claim that ;’people who have had multiple boosters are actually more likely to get infected right now’” the Trust Index team gives this statement a rating of not true. According to medical professionals, the governor is making a big statement based on a very small segment of data.” [News 4 Jax, 7/28/22]
Emergency Medical Specialist Said DeSantis’ Claim Came From Data Which Does Not Represent The Number Of Floridians Affected By COVID-19. According to News 4 Jax, “We did, however, talk with two medical professionals, both of whom say the governor’s statement is misleading. And one of them says he knows the source of DeSantis’ information. ‘It was from Walgreens, from their testing centers they test in their stores,’ said Dr. Todd Husty, an emergency medical specialist. Husty says DeSantis is making big claims based on small datasets recently released from Walgreens pharmacies. Husty says the number of people who test positive for COVID-19 at Walgreens after getting their booster shots doesn’t accurately represent the number of Floridians affected by COVID-19. ‘You can’t take an isolated data set like that and then make this big glowing statement of, obviously, that means that vaccines don’t work and they make you more susceptible. It wasn’t that kind of data. It wasn’t good enough to do that,’ Husty said. ‘And even Walgreens has come out and said you can’t make a conclusion from this data, it’s not conclusive data.’” [News 4 Jax, 7/28/22]
Epidemiologist On DeSantis’ Claim: “There Is No Way, You Know, Mechanistically No Way That That Is Going To Be Really Making Sense.” According to News 4 Jax, “We also took DeSantis’ claim to epidemiologist Jonathan Kantor who had this to say about the governor’s allegation: ‘Yeah, I think it’s absolutely not the case that, you know, for your average person, if you get extra boosters, you’re more likely to get COVID. There is, you know, mechanistically no way that that is going to be really making sense.’ Kantor says people who get COVID-19 boosters are more likely to get tested in an environment where COVID-19 reporting is taking place, pointing to the thousands of people who are testing positive at home and not reporting their illness to anyone. ‘So I don’t think that drawing conclusions from the tiny fraction of people that we’re seeing right now who are getting tested in a pharmacy or in the testing center is really appropriate,’ Kantor said.” [News 4 Jax, 7/28/22]
¶ DeSantis’ Claim That masking In Schools was Ineffective Was Rated As False
PolitiFact Rated Claims In DeSantis’ Executive Order On Masking In School As “False.” According to PolitiFact, “DeSantis’ July 30 executive order missed the mark with its claim that ‘forcing students to wear masks lacks a well-grounded scientific justification.’ It also cited a Brown University study as scientific evidence that there is no correlation between mask mandates and reduced COVID-19 spread. However, while that study didn’t show a correlation, its authors noted the study’s limitations and concluded that appropriate mitigation typically includes universal masking. It flatly stated it would be premature to draw other conclusions based on the researchers’ preliminary data. Multiple studies also show masking in schools does have an effect on preventing COVID-19 transmission. DeSantis’ executive order cherry-picked a study that offers little basis for his position and includes a variety of elements that are not accurate. We rate this False.” [PolitiFact, 8/10/21]
¶ DeSantis Pushed Conspiracy That Florida Was Over Counting Covid-19 Related Deaths
DeSantis Pushed Conspiracy Theory That Florida Was Over Counting COVID-19-Related Deaths. According to the Tampa Bay Times, “But the misleading Oct. 30 blog post fed into a narrative pushed by DeSantis and President Donald Trump, who argue without evidence that scientists are blowing COVID-19 deaths out of proportion. Fred Piccolo Jr., DeSantis' spokesman, shared Cabrera’s post on Twitter — effectively accusing the governor’s own health department of exaggerating the death toll. It all played out as DeSantis was helping engineer Trump’s win in Florida and playing up his own response to the virus. (Trump won the state handily after joking he would ‘fire’ DeSantis, a close ally, if Joe Biden emerged victorious.) […] The governor, however, rejects the scientific consensus that COVID-19 has killed more than 230,000 Americans, according to Piccolo. ‘He really just wants to get enough data to figure out whether either of these sides are true,’ said Piccolo, referring to epidemiologists on the one hand and a group of bloggers and media personalities on the other.” [Tampa Bay Times, 11/6/20]
- Misleading Conspiracy Theory Came From A Conservative Blogger Jennifer Cabrera. According to the Tampa Bay Times, “Jennifer Cabrera isn’t an epidemiologist. Although she holds degrees in electrical engineering, she’s not a scientist either. But as the conservative blogger said on Facebook, she has ‘followers in the governor’s office.’ One of them is Gov. Ron DeSantis. So in late October, Cabrera visited Florida’s Capitol and was mysteriously allowed to examine a month’s worth of COVID-19 death certificates — records that the state is not willing to concede are public and that it is not releasing to academics and journalists seeking to better understand the toll of the coronavirus pandemic. Cabrera then wrote a post on her blog with her husband, Len, claiming that the state is overcounting COVID-19 deaths. ‘We can tell you definitively that Florida is counting deaths that were not directly caused by COVID-19,’ the Cabreras wrote, arguing that some people died with COVID-19 but not from COVID-19.” [Tampa Bay Times, 11/06/20]
¶ Public Health Dismissed This Argument, Said That Deaths Were Actually Being Undercounted
Public Health Experts Pointed Out Flaws In Cabrera’s Argument, Noted COVID-19 Related Deaths Were Being Under Counted. According to the Tampa Bay Times, “That’s a meaningless distinction, according to public health experts. And the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that deaths are actually being undercounted nationwide. […] ‘There has been this constant drumbeat of ‘Oh, most of the COVID deaths aren’t really COVID deaths.’ It’s been a conspiracy that’s been ongoing from a lot of right-wing media,” said Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the School of Public Health at Brown University. ‘Anyone who understands medicine knows it’s crap. If you ascribed that theory to heart attack deaths, you’d say they died from underlying conditions like hypertension or diabetes. It’s like, what? It’s still a heart attack. It doesn’t make any sense. ... The people who are pushing this argument clearly haven’t spent any time in a hospital or know anything about infectious diseases.’” [Tampa Bay Times, 11/6/20]
¶ Desantis Falsely Blamed Undocumented People Crossing The Southern Border For Rises In Covid-19 Cases
DeSantis Blamed Undocumented People Crossing The U.S.-Mexico Border For Rises In COVID-19 Cases. According to the Northwest Florida Daily News, “DeSantis shifted the blame for the recent spike in COVID-19 cases in Florida and other parts of the country on Biden, alleging that many new cases were coming across the southern border with Mexico. ‘He's imported more virus from around the world by having a wide open southern border,’ DeSantis said. ‘You have hundreds of thousands of people pouring across ... and it's not just from Mexico ... you have over 100 different countries where people are pouring through. So, he's not shutting down the virus, he's helping to facilitate it in our country.’” [Northwest Florida Daily News, 8/5/21]
¶ PolitiFact Rated DeSantis’ Claim “False”
PolitiFact Headline: “DeSantis Effort To Blame COVID-19 Spread On Migrants Is Short Of Evidence.” [PolitiFact, 8/6/21]
PolitiFact Rated DeSantis’ Statement Blaming Migrants For COVID-19 As “False.” According to PolitiFact, “DeSantis said Biden has driven the current coronavirus surge because he ‘imported more virus from around the world by having a wide open southern border.’ The available evidence shows that coronavirus hot spots tend to be clustered either far from the border or on the water, whereas the entire land border with Mexico has fairly low rates. The hotspot locations tend to correlate with low rates of vaccination among the public. In addition, the U.S. does not have a ‘wide open’ border. Most people who are encountered are turned away under a Trump-era policy that Biden continued. We rate the statement False.” [PolitiFact, 8/6/21]
¶ DeSantis And His Surgeon General Incorrectly Touted Natural Immunity As The Best Way To Protect Against COVID-19
Orlando Sentinel: Ladapo And DeSantis Incorrectly Touted Natural Immunity As The Best Way To Protect Against COVID-19, Referenced A Study Which Suggested Natural Immunity “Might Be Just As Good If Not Better” Than Protection From Vaccines. According to the Orlando Sentinel, “DeSantis and Ladapo touted natural immunity as the best way to protect against COVID-19 and incorrectly claimed public health leaders previously denied its existence. Ladapo referenced a study recently published in the journal Lancet suggesting that protection against infection from natural immunity might be just as good if not better than protection from vaccines.” [Orlando Sentinel, 3/16/23]
The Author Of The Study Wrote That Just Because Some Had COVID-19 Does Not Mean They’re Protected, Especially If They Caught COVID-19 Before The Now-Dominant Omicron Variant Emerged. According to the Orlando Sentinel, “DeSantis and Ladapo touted natural immunity as the best way to protect against COVID-19 and incorrectly claimed public health leaders previously denied its existence. Ladapo referenced a study recently published in the journal Lancet suggesting that protection against infection from natural immunity might be just as good if not better than protection from vaccines. […] But just like it does with vaccination, protection against reinfection due to natural immunity ultimately fades over time. Just because someone has had COVID-19 doesn’t mean they’re protected, particularly if they caught it before the now-dominant omicron variant emerged, authors of the Lancet study noted. Boosters in many cases are still needed even in someone who was naturally infected.” [Orlando Sentinel, 3/16/23]
¶ Fauci Said Disparaging Comments From DeSantis And Other Republicans Have Forced Him To Have A Security Detail
Fauci Said Disparaging Comments From DeSantis And Other Republicans Have Forced Him To Have A Security Detail Amid Threats On His Life. According to the Hill, “Former White House pandemic chief Anthony Fauci said disparaging comments like those from presidential candidate Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) force him to have a security detail amid threats on his life. DeSantis and other Republicans have repeatedly attacked Fauci — who served in the Trump and Biden administrations — over pandemic policies including mask mandates and the COVID vaccine. ‘I’m the one that had to, in an uncomfortable way… disagree with the President of the United States. That was very painful for me… but I felt that in order to just maintain my own personal professional integrity and responsibility to the American public that I had to say it like it was and I had to do it publicly,’ Fauci said in an MSNBC interview Thursday. ‘That triggered a degree of negativity towards me on the part of the far-right,’ he said.” [The Hill, 9/25/23]
Fauci Said DeSantis’ Comments Were “Triggering People Who Are Bad And Really Want To Hurt People.” According to the Hill, “Attacks like that encourage actual acts of violence, Fauci said. ‘Somebody that doesn’t know anything about me, who’s crazy, says, ‘Wow, I’m going to go get that person’ or that person should be killed or that person should be prosecuted. That’s the reason I have to have security,’ he said. ‘Gov. DeSantis doesn’t personally want to hurt me. He’s triggering people who are bad and really want to hurt people. That’s the problem,’ Fauci added.” [The Hill, 9/25/23]
¶ DeSantis Staffers Held Fringe Views On COVID-19
¶ Florida Surgeon General Ladapo Hyped Misleading Information On COVID-19 Vaccines
¶ Florida Surgeon General Said Florida Would Recommend Against COVID Vaccines For Healthy Children, Against The Advice Of Researchers
Florida Surgeon General Ladapo Said The State Would Recommend Against COVID-19 Vaccines For Healthy Children. According to the Associated Press, “Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo says the state will formally recommend against COVID-19 vaccinations for healthy children. Ladapo made the announcement at a roundtable event organized by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis that featured a group of doctors who criticized coronavirus lockdowns and mandate policies. It was not immediately clear when the state would release its health guidance. Late last month, Ladapo and DeSantis announced new virus policy recommendations that discouraged mask-wearing and directed physicians to exercise their own judgment when treating virus patients, including the use of emerging treatments and off-label medications.” [Associated Press, 3/7/22]
Researchers Accused Ladapo And The State Of Cherry Picking Data To Justify Suggesting Children Not Receive The COVID-19 Vaccine. According to the Tampa Bay Times, “When the Florida Department of Health released new guidelines this week suggesting healthy children should not get the coronavirus vaccine, it cited several studies to back up the position. But at least four of the experts whose research was cited say their work was taken out of context. They said they disagreed with Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo’s conclusion that the vaccine was more dangerous than the virus for healthy children. ‘I think there is cherry-picking of sentences to support what (the state) wanted,’ said Kathryn Edwards, a pediatrics professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, who co-authored one of the papers cited in the guidance.” [Tampa Bay Times, 3/11/22]
¶ FDA Officials Rebuked Ladapo’s Tweet About COVID-19 Vaccines And Cardiac-Related Deaths
Ladapo Tweeted Against Men Between 18-39 Getting The COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine Due To An “Increased Risk Of Cardiac-Related Death.” According to Ladapo’s twitter, “Today, we released an analysis on COVID-19 mRNA vaccines the public needs to be aware of. This analysis showed an increased risk of cardiac-related death among men 18-39. FL will not be silent on the truth.” [Twitter, @FLSurgeonGeneral, 10/7/22]
FDA Officials Rebuked Ladapo’s Advice As “Flawed And A Far Cry From Science.” According to the Orlando Sentinel, “The Food and Drug Administration on Monday responded to the results of Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo’s analysis of COVID-19 data that he says point to a risk for some men who get the shot. […] In response, federal government representatives reaffirmed their stance that the benefits of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines continue to outweigh potential risks for all age groups. ‘This decision is flawed and a far cry from the science: COVID-19 vaccines have been proven safe and effective, and severe adverse reactions are rare,’ said U.S. Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson Sarah Lovenheim in a statement. ‘Vaccines were evaluated in tens of thousands of participants in clinical trials and since then, tens of millions of Americans have received COVID-19 vaccines.’” [Orlando Sentinel, 10/10/22]
¶ Public Records Revealed Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo Personally Altered COVID-19 Study
Public Records Revealed Surgeon General Ladapo Personally Altered COVID-19 Study Showing Risks Of Cardiac Death Were More Severe Than Previous Studies. According to Politico, “Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo personally altered a state-driven study about Covid-19 vaccines last year to suggest that some doses pose a significantly higher health risk for young men than had been established by the broader medical community, according to a newly obtained document. Ladapo’s changes, released as part of a public records request, presented the risks of cardiac death to be more severe than previous versions of the study. He later used the final document in October to bolster disputed claims that Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines were dangerous to young men.” [Politico, 4/24/23]
Public Records Revealed The Study Originally Indicated There Was No Significant Risks Associated With Young Men And COVID-19 Vaccines. According to Politico, “The newly released draft of the eight-page study, provided by the Florida Department of Health, indicates that it initially stated that there was no significant risk associated with the Covid-19 vaccines for young men. But ‘Dr. L’s Edits,’ as the document is titled, reveal that Ladapo replaced that language to say that men between 18 and 39 years old are at high risk of heart illness from two Covid vaccines that use mRNA technology.” [Politico, 4/24/23]
Ladapo Changed Language To Say That Men Between 18 And 39 Were At High Risk For Cardiac Issues From Two COVID-19 Vaccines Which Used MRNA Technology. According to Politico, “The newly released draft of the eight-page study, provided by the Florida Department of Health, indicates that it initially stated that there was no significant risk associated with the Covid-19 vaccines for young men. But ‘Dr. L’s Edits,’ as the document is titled, reveal that Ladapo replaced that language to say that men between 18 and 39 years old are at high risk of heart illness from two Covid vaccines that use mRNA technology.” [Politico, 4/24/23]
¶ Ladapo Refuted Altering Claims
Ladapo Refuted Altering Claims, Said Revisions Were A Normal Part Of Assessing Surveillance Data. According to Politico, “In a statement to POLITICO, Ladapo said revisions and refinements are a normal part of assessing surveillance data and that he has the appropriate expertise and training to make those decisions. ‘To say that I ‘removed an analysis’ for a particular outcome is an implicit denial of the fact that the public has been the recipient of biased data and interpretations since the beginning of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine campaign,’ he said. ‘I have never been afraid of disagreement with peers or media.’” [Politico, 4/24/23]
¶ Public Records Revealed The State Removed Key Data On Cardiac-Related Deaths From Its COVID-19 Vaccine Report
Tampa Bay Times: Public Records Revealed The State Removed Key Data On Cardiac-Related Deaths, Which Showed That Catching COVID-19 Could Increase The Chances Of Cardiac-Related Death Much More Than Getting The Vaccine, From Its Final COVID-19 Vaccine Report. According to the Tampa Bay Times, “Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo announced in October that young men should not get the COVID-19 vaccine, guidance that runs counter to medical advice issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. His recommendation was based on a state analysis that showed the risk of cardiac-related deaths increased significantly for some age groups after receiving a vaccine. It has been criticized by experts, including professors and epidemiologists at the University of Florida, where Ladapo is employed as a professor. Now, draft versions of the analysis obtained by the Tampa Bay Times show that this recommendation was made despite the state having contradictory data. It showed that catching COVID-19 could increase the chances of a cardiac-related death much more than getting the vaccine.” [Tampa Bay Times, 4/7/23]
Data On Cardiac-Related Deaths Was Not Included In The State’s Final Version. According to the Tampa Bay Times, “That data was included in an earlier version of the state’s analysis but was missing from the final version compiled and posted online by the Florida Department of Health. Ladapo did not reference the contradictory data in a release posted by the state. The Times’ records request asked for all previous versions of the state analysis made public on Oct. 7. The documents show that, before the final version was released, at least five drafts had been produced. One version included a data table showing the number of cardiac-related deaths from infection. The conclusion in four of the drafts provided a counterpoint to Ladapo’s assertion about the vaccine.” [Tampa Bay Times, 4/7/23]
The Conclusion In Four Of The Drafts Which Included Cardiac-Related Death Data Provided A Counterpoint To Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo’s Assertion About Covid-19 Vaccines. According to the Tampa Bay Times, “The documents show that, before the final version was released, at least five drafts had been produced. One version included a data table showing the number of cardiac-related deaths from infection. The conclusion in four of the drafts provided a counterpoint to Ladapo’s assertion about the vaccine.” [Tampa Bay Times, 4/7/23]
¶ Four Epidemiologists Said Omitting The Data Was Inexplicable And Flawed, Said Ladapo’s Recommendation Against COVID-19 Vaccines Should Be Rescinded
Four Epidemiologists Who Reviewed The Drafts Said Omitting The Data Was Inexplicable And Flawed, Said Ladapo’s Recommendation Against COVID-19 Vaccines Should Be Rescinded. According to the Tampa Bay Times, “Four epidemiologists who reviewed the drafts said the omission is inexplicable and flawed from a scientific standpoint. They said that, based on the missing data, Ladapo’s recommendation should be rescinded.” [Tampa Bay Times, 4/7/23]
Epidemiologist Matt Hitchings Said Omitting Cardiac-Related Death Data Was “A Grave Violation Of Research Integrity.” According to the Tampa Bay Times, “Matt Hitchings, an infectious disease epidemiologist and professor of biostatistics at the University of Florida, said it seems that sections of the analysis were omitted because they did not fit the narrative the surgeon general wanted to push. ‘This is a grave violation of research integrity,’ Hitchings said. ‘(The vaccine) has done a lot to advance the health of people of Florida and he’s encouraging people to mistrust it.’” [Tampa Bay Times, 4/7/23]
¶ Ladapo Stated That He Stood By His Decision Against Recommending COVID-19 Vaccines
Ladapo Stated That He Stood By His Decision Against Recommending COVID-19 Vaccines. According to the Tampa Bay Times, “Ladapo declined to answer specific questions about why the data showing the higher risk to Floridians from infection was removed. In an emailed statement, he said that he stands by his guidance and that this is not the first time he has faced criticism for his approach to COVID-19. ‘As surgeon general, my decisions continue to be led by the raw science — not fear,’ he said. ‘Far less attention has been paid to safety of the COVID-19 vaccines and many concerns have been dismissed — these are important findings that should be communicated to Floridians.’ His statement also included a link to a Gov. Ron DeSantis news release from December announcing that the governor had petitioned the Florida Supreme Court to impanel a statewide grand jury to ‘investigate any and all wrongdoing in Florida with respect to COVID-19 vaccines.’” [Tampa Bay Times, 4/7/23]
¶ DeSantis’ Surgeon General Ladapo Warned Against New COVID-19 Restrictions And Vaccine Requirements
DeSantis’ Surgeon General Ladapo Warned Against New COVID-19 Restrictions And Vaccine Requirements. According to the Associated Press, “Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday criticized recent efforts across the U.S. to tamp down a recent jump in COVID-19 cases through temporary restrictions or masking, and his state surgeon general warned against getting the latest COVID-19 vaccine, which is expected to be available this month. The criticism from DeSantis at news conference in Jacksonville, Florida, arrived the same day that his campaign for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination sent out an email to supporters vowing to ‘fight back against every bogus attempt the Left makes to expand government control’ when it comes to COVID-19 precautions. At the Jacksonville news conference in an Irish pub, DeSantis and Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo promised Florida won’t be joining states, cities or school districts across the U.S. in temporarily closing schools or mandating mask-wearing because of the recent uptick in COVID-19 cases.” [Associated Press, 9/7/23]
Ladapo Said There Were No Arguments For Getting The Latest Vaccine, Said “There Are A Lot Of Red Flags.” According to the Associated Press, “Lapado said there were no arguments for getting the latest vaccine. ‘There are a lot of red flags,’ he said.” [Associated Press, 9/7/23]
¶ Ladapo’s Warning Contradicted CDC Guidance
Ladapo’s Warning Contradicted CDC Guidance, Which Called For “Everyone 6 Months And Older” To Receive The Newest Booster Ahead Of The Winter Months. According to Axios, “Florida's Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo cautioned against COVID boosters for people younger than 65 Wednesday. Why it matters: The DeSantis administration said Florida is the first state in the country to recommend against boosters for under-65s. The recommendation contradicts CDC guidance that calls for ‘everyone 6 months and older’ to receive the new boosters ahead of the winter virus season.” [Axios, 9/13/23]
¶ The FDA Approved Updated COVID-19 Vaccines To Target New Variants Of The Virus
The FDA Approved Updated COVID-19 Vaccines To Target New Variants Of The Virus As Cases Rose Throughout Florida And The U.S. According to Axios, “The FDA approved updated versions of the COVID vaccines earlier this week to target new variants, as COVID cases rise in Florida and across the U.S.” [Axios, 9/13/23]
¶ DeSantis Advisor On Covid-19 Pushed False Claims About Ivermectin Being An Effective Treatment
Mark McDonald, Who Advised DeSantis On COVID-19, Pushed False Claims That Ivermectin Was An Effective Treatment For COVID-19. According to the Tampa Bay Times, “A California psychiatrist who has advised Gov. Ron DeSantis on the coronavirus pandemic recently promoted a drug for COVID-19 patients that federal disease experts have strongly warned against after a spike in calls to poison control centers. The surge of interest in the parasite drug, ivermectin, prompted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday to issue a national alert advising against its use to treat coronavirus. The maker of the drug, Merck, has also said there is ‘no scientific basis’ to claim that ivermectin is effective against COVID-19. Dr. Mark McDonald of Los Angeles is among a fringe group of outspoken medical professionals who have pushed ivermectin as an alternative to widespread vaccination against coronavirus. McDonald called ivermectin ‘effective, safe, inexpensive treatment’ in a Aug. 5 Twitter post, and he shared an article by the Jerusalem Post citing a recent study of the drug in Israel.” [Tampa Bay Times, 8/28/21]
¶ DeSantis Hired Conspiracy Theorist Kyle Lamb As A Data Analyst On Covid-19
DeSantis Hired Conspiracy Theorist Kyle Lamb, As A Data Analyst On The State’s Data Team. According to the Miami Herald, “When Gov. Ron DeSantis needed to hire a data analyst, his staff picked a little-known Ohio sports blogger and Uber driver whose only relevant experience is spreading harmful conspiracy theories about COVID-19 on the Internet. In his own words, Kyle Lamb of Columbus, Ohio, has few qualifications for the job at the state’s Office of Policy and Budget, which pays $40,000 per year.” [Miami Herald, 11/10/20]
Lamb Said He Would Be Performing Data Analysis On Several Fronts “Including But Not Limited To COVID-19 Research.” According to the Miami Herald, “In Twitter DMs obtained by the Miami Herald, Lamb said he began studying the virus in January and that his ‘livelihood’ as an Uber driver was ‘based on society maintaining some level of restrained normalcy.’ Then, on Nov. 6, he tweeted that he had ‘officially accepted an offer to go work for Gov. Ron DeSantis ... doing data analysis on several fronts for them including but not limited to COVID-19 research and other projects.’” [Miami Herald, 11/10/20]
¶ Lamb Spread Numerous Conspiracy Theories About COVID-19 On Masks, Hydroxychloroquine, Claimed COVID Was Part Of Biological Warfare
Lamb Spread Conspiracy Theories About Masks. According to the Miami Herald, “In frequent posts on Twitter and sports message boards, Lamb has said that masks don’t prevent the coronavirus from spreading; that lockdowns are ineffective; that hydroxychloroquine, a drug touted by President Donald Trump, can treat the virus; that COVID-19, which he said might be part of a Chinese ‘biowar,’ is not more deadly than the flu; and that the virus isn’t dangerous for children to contract. All of those claims have been impeached by scientific evidence. ‘I have no qualms about being a ‘sports guy’ moonlighting as a COVID-19 analyst,’ Lamb wrote on his podcast website.” [Miami Herald, 11/10/20]
Lamb Said COVID-19 Lockdowns Were “Ineffective.” According to the Miami Herald, “In frequent posts on Twitter and sports message boards, Lamb has said that masks don’t prevent the coronavirus from spreading; that lockdowns are ineffective; that hydroxychloroquine, a drug touted by President Donald Trump, can treat the virus; that COVID-19, which he said might be part of a Chinese ‘biowar,’ is not more deadly than the flu; and that the virus isn’t dangerous for children to contract. All of those claims have been impeached by scientific evidence. ‘I have no qualms about being a ‘sports guy’ moonlighting as a COVID-19 analyst,’ Lamb wrote on his podcast website.” [Miami Herald, 11/10/20]
Lamb Touted The Use Of Hydroxychloroquine To Fight COVID-19. According to the Miami Herald, “In frequent posts on Twitter and sports message boards, Lamb has said that masks don’t prevent the coronavirus from spreading; that lockdowns are ineffective; that hydroxychloroquine, a drug touted by President Donald Trump, can treat the virus; that COVID-19, which he said might be part of a Chinese ‘biowar,’ is not more deadly than the flu; and that the virus isn’t dangerous for children to contract. All of those claims have been impeached by scientific evidence. ‘I have no qualms about being a ‘sports guy’ moonlighting as a COVID-19 analyst,’ Lamb wrote on his podcast website.” [Miami Herald, 11/10/20]
Lamb Accused COVID-19 Of Being Part Of A Chinese “Biowar.” According to the Miami Herald, “In frequent posts on Twitter and sports message boards, Lamb has said that masks don’t prevent the coronavirus from spreading; that lockdowns are ineffective; that hydroxychloroquine, a drug touted by President Donald Trump, can treat the virus; that COVID-19, which he said might be part of a Chinese ‘biowar,’ is not more deadly than the flu; and that the virus isn’t dangerous for children to contract. All of those claims have been impeached by scientific evidence. ‘I have no qualms about being a ‘sports guy’ moonlighting as a COVID-19 analyst,’ Lamb wrote on his podcast website.” [Miami Herald, 11/10/20]
Lamb Said Children Were Safe If They Contracted COVID-19, Comparing The Disease To The Flu. According to the Miami Herald, “In frequent posts on Twitter and sports message boards, Lamb has said that masks don’t prevent the coronavirus from spreading; that lockdowns are ineffective; that hydroxychloroquine, a drug touted by President Donald Trump, can treat the virus; that COVID-19, which he said might be part of a Chinese ‘biowar,’ is not more deadly than the flu; and that the virus isn’t dangerous for children to contract. All of those claims have been impeached by scientific evidence. ‘I have no qualms about being a ‘sports guy’ moonlighting as a COVID-19 analyst,’ Lamb wrote on his podcast website.” [Miami Herald, 11/10/20]
¶ Despite Subsequent Political Branding, DeSantis Had Praised Dr. Fauci In Spring 2020 For “Really Doing A Good Job”
¶ Spring 2020: DeSantis Praised Dr. Anthony Fauci For “Really Doing A Good Job” Fighting COVID-19
March 2020: DeSantis Said Fauci Was “Really Doing A Good Job.” According to CNN, “Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis is attacking former President Donald Trump for ‘turning the country over to [Dr. Anthony] Fauci in March 2020’ but DeSantis was praising the chief public health official at the same time in previously unreported quotes, saying Fauci was ‘really, really good and really, really helpful’ and ‘really doing a good job.’ […] ‘You have a lot of people there who are working very, very hard, and they’re not getting a lot of sleep,’ DeSantis said on March 25, 2020, at a briefing on Florida’s response. ‘And they’re really focusing on a big country that we have. And from Dr. Birx to Dr. Fauci to the vice president who’s worked very hard, the surgeon general, they’re really doing a good job. It’s a tough, tough situation, but they’re working hard.’” [CNN, 6/1/23]
March 2020: At A News Briefing, DeSantis Praised Fauci, Saying He Had Spoke With Him A Number Of Times And Saying The White House Had Been “Really, Really Helpful.” According to CNN, “Speaking at a news briefing on March 21, 2020, DeSantis made similar comments praising Fauci. ‘The president’s task force has been great,’ DeSantis said. ‘I mean, you’ve called, you know, we’ve talked Dr. Fauci number of times, talked to, you know, the surgeon, US surgeon general number of times, VP, you know, they’ve been really, really good and really, really helpful.’” [CNN, 6/1/23]
DeSantis Cited Fauci, Or Mentioned His Guidance On COVID Policy, On At Least 10 Different Occasions Between March And April Of 2020. According to CNN, “And in at least 10 different instances at press briefings in April and March, DeSantis cited Fauci or mentioned his guidance when discussing his own support for restrictive policies like closing beaches and putting in place curfews.” [CNN, 6/1/23]
¶ DeSantis Has Subsequently Branded Himself Against Fauci Following Initial Praise
Following Initial Praise, DeSantis Began Harshly Criticizing Dr. Fauci Around Spring 2021. According to CNN, “Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis is attacking former President Donald Trump for ‘turning the country over to [Dr. Anthony] Fauci in March 2020’ but DeSantis was praising the chief public health official at the same time in previously unreported quotes, saying Fauci was ‘really, really good and really, really helpful’ and ‘really doing a good job.’ […] DeSantis, like Trump, later broke with Fauci over reopening Florida in July 2020, but he didn’t begin regularly harshly criticizing Fauci until spring 2021.” [CNN, 6/1/23]