Ron DeSantis pushing to ban COVID-19 protection measures as cases and deaths rise
AlterNetJan 18, 2023
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday unveiled a plan to permanently end all COVID restrictions. This includes terminating mask and vaccine mandates statewide in schools and businesses.
More specifically, it would permanently prohibit vaccine passports in the state and bar "employers from hiring or firing based on mRNA jabs." DeSantis said the policy would also protect "free speech for medical practitioners."
DeSantis continues to put politics over health. New COVID cases have increased by 90% in his state over the past two weeks, yet his response is to attempt to strip private businesses of their right to institute health policies that’ll keep employees safe from a deadly virus. It’s unconscionable.
COVID science isn’t settled, and too many civil liberties have been trampled on or willfully given up in the face of fear-mongering and the politicization of a health crisis. DeSantis’ proposal is the first step in returning freedom to Floridians and opening the door again to much-needed scientific debate.
There's a 3% chance that any US state will re-implement a general indoor mask mandate before Feb 1, 2023, according to the Metaculus prediction community.