Counties where 70% or more of residents voted Republican had nearly 73 more Covid-19 deaths per 100,000 people through October 2021 than counties that largely voted Democrat, according to a study published in Health Affairs. Surprising FactĪs Covid-19 and vaccines continue to be rife with political division, studies have indicated people living in counties that voted Republican in 2020 fared worse than those that voted Democrat. DeSantis has frequently touted his state’s Covid-19 response on the campaign trail and criticized Trump for following guidance from health officials and former White House medical advisor Anthony Fauci.

He proposed banning Covid-19 mandates in Florida in January. In June 2022, DeSantis refused to preorder vaccines for children under 5, making Florida the only state not to do so, claiming the “risks outweigh the benefits” of receiving vaccines. Reports in April indicated Lapado had personally altered data from a state Covid-19 vaccine study to suggest some doses pose a higher risk for young men. In September 2021, he appointed Lapado, a vaccine skeptic, as surgeon general. Key BackgroundĭeSantis quickly evolved from implementing typical Covid-19 prevention measures in the early days of the pandemic to reopening Florida by May 2020-and since then, he’s become a vocal mask and vaccine skeptic, questioning the safety and efficacy of Covid-19 vaccines and resisting federal health guidances. Tim Scott accused the “radical Left” of trying to bring back school closures and mask mandates-though few school districts briefly moved to online learning to fend off Covid-19 infections in August, there is no evidence widespread school closures are coming. Former President Donald Trump alleged the “radical Democrats are trying hard to restart Covid hysteria” at a campaign rally in Rapid City, South Dakota. Mandy Cohen, director of the CDC, slammed Florida’s guidance as “dangerous,” stating the vaccines are “proven safe they are effective, and they have been thoroughly and independently reviewed by the FDA and CDC.” TangentĭeSantis is one of several Republican presidential contenders warning against the updated booster and stoking fears of looming mask mandates (which there is no evidence will return at the state or federal level). Florida has had more Covid-19 deaths over the past three months than any other state, with 1,106-ahead of California, which has had 843.

Deaths from covid vaccine per cdc