Floridaā€™s controversial surgeon general is drawing criticism for his handling of an elementary schoolā€™s measles outbreak, telling parents of unvaccinated children it is their choice whether their students attend class ā€” a contravention of federal guidelines calling for their mandatory exclusion.

Dr. Joseph Ladapo, nationally known for his outspoken skepticism toward the COVID-19 vaccine, sent a letter this week to parents at Manatee Bay Elementary School near Fort Lauderdale after six students contracted the highly contagious and potentially deadly virus. Such outbreaks are rare in the United States, though reported cases have spiked from 58 for all of 2023 to 35 already this year.

The letter notes that when a school has a measles outbreak, it is ā€œnormally recommendedā€ that unvaccinated students who havenā€™t previously had the disease be kept home for three weeks ā€œbecause of the high likelihoodā€ they will be infected.

  • Telorand@reddthat.com
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    4 months ago

    Thankfully I donā€™t live in Florida, but this is basically allowing parents to expose other peopleā€™s children to diseases against another parentā€™s knowledge or consent.

    Parentsā€™ rights insomuch as they win political points.