The DeSantis Record
In response to the greatest public health emergency Floridians faced in our lifetime, Governor Ron DeSantis has consistently undermined recommended measures to control Covid-19. He has mocked and opposed both mask and vaccine mandates and directly attacked the ability of businesses, local governments and school boards to chart a different path.
The Governor's newly appointed Surgeon General has promoted bogus Covid cures and questioned the safety and effectiveness of Covid vaccines. Though Covid rates in Florida have currently declined, 124 of us are still dying daily. From April 1-October 1 this year, when vaccines were widely available, Florida's death rate was 3 times higher than New York's, 5 times higher than California's. Under this governor's leadership more than 59,600 Floridians have died of the virus, one of the highest death tolls in the nation. Check the facts.
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Florida Deserves
Better!
The Facts
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On April 2, 2021 DeSantis issued Executive Order # 21-81 prohibiting vaccine passports and stating that “Businesses in Florida are prohibited from requiring patrons or customers to provide any documentation certifying COVID-19 vaccination or post-transmission recovery to gain access to, entry upon, or service from the business.”
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On May 24, 2021, the Governor defended the state's decision to stop distributing $300 a week in supplemental federal unemployment assistance on June 26 in the hope of “returning more Floridians to work.” Federal support had been scheduled to last until Sept 6.
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On July 30, 2021, as schools prepared to open with almost 7,000 positive Covid tests for Florida's children 12 and under, the Governor issued Executive Order # 21-175 forbidding school districts from mandating masks in Florida schools. The order further threatened to withhold funds from any school districts which defied this order, a threat the state has followed through on, docking funding to the 8 districts which required masks.
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On September 21, Gov. DeSantis appointed a new Surgeon General, Dr. Joseph Ladapo, an outspoken Covid vaccine skeptic and promoter of bogus Covid treatments such as hydroxychloroquine.
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In response to expanding federal vaccine mandates, DeSantis took his most extreme step yet. On October 21 he called on the Florida Legislature – already behind in its work on statewide redistricting – to convene a special session to pass a new law banning employer vaccine mandates.
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For more background, click here.