Though DeSantis was originally a vocal supporter of the Covid vaccines, he eventually started disparagingly referring to them as the “jabs” and took formal steps to limit their use in the state. Ladapo, who leads the state Health Department, was appointed by DeSantis in September 2021 after openly questioning the effectiveness of the Covid vaccines, skepticism he has continued to discuss. "Florida has a health department that has been seriously politicized and the support of good public health systems in Florida has been reported to be eroding over the past several years," he said. Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, said many factors impact the ability to hire qualified public health professionals, including lower pay than the private sector and an overall shortage of epidemiologists, but he also noted there are political factors unique to Florida that further complicate things.
“There has, unfortunately, been recent politicization of the use of vaccines and health services for refugees and other immigrants, which may explain the challenges in filling this vital position.”ĭr. Aileen Marty, an infectious disease expert and a professor at Florida International University. “These are critical public health functions,” said Dr. The position not only focuses on coordinating the detection and prevention of diseases spreading throughout the state, but it also promotes immunization and runs the refugee health program, which provides health services to refugees who end up in Florida after being resettled in the United States. It has been vacant since last month, when the former bureau chief, Clayton Weiss, transferred to the Florida Department of Corrections. The open positions include the head of the bureau, which oversees many of the state’s core public health functions. The openings are in the Florida Health Department’s Bureau of Epidemiology, which plays a key role in monitoring and combating the spread of disease in the state.
But the approach has also given Florida the reputation of being ground zero for how the division in public health administration is treated. As a result, the Florida Health Department has issued an advisory on mosquito-borne illnesses.ĭeSantis’ hands-off approach during the height of the Covid pandemic made him a star with conservatives nationally, and he regularly touts his strategy in his 2024 presidential campaign. Late last month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an alert after four cases of malaria, which is spread by mosquitoes, were found in Florida for the first time in two decades.
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