Ladapo slams officials for vaccine guidance after new WHO recommendation

By Michelle Vecerina

Published Mar. 31, 2023, 10:53 a.m. ET | Updated Apr. 3, 2023

Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo at "3 Years to Slow the Spread" press conference in Winter Haven, Fla., March 16, 2023. (Video/Gov. Ron DeSantis' office)

Editor’s note: This story was updated to include a response from Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FLV) – According to updated guidance posted on the website of the World Health Organization, children between 6 months and 17 years old fell into the “low” priority category for receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

“The low priority group includes healthy children and adolescents aged 6 months to 17 years. Primary and booster doses are safe and effective in children and adolescents,” it said.

They urged countries and individuals to look at their individual risk factors, though.

Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo touted his leadership of the Department of Health in contrast with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidance during the coronavirus pandemic.

“Why did the CDC and so many doctors try to convince you otherwise?” Ladapo said. “No wonder there’s so much distrust of public health officials right now.”

Christina Pushaw, formerly Gov. Ron DeSantis’ press secretary and his campaign rapid response director, said, “@FLSurgeonGen Dr. Ladapo said this a year ago and was attacked by @CDCgov, the Biden Administration and the legacy media for telling the truth.”

In March 2022 the Department of Health under Gov. Ron DeSantis and Ladapo announced state health guidance on COVID-19 vaccines for children.

“Based on currently available data, healthy children aged 5 to 17 may not benefit from receiving the currently available COVID-19 vaccine,” the guidance said.

In October 2022, Ladapo announced new mRNA COVID-19 vaccine guidance, advising against males aged 18-39 years old from taking those vaccines due to a reported 84% increase in the relative incidence of heart-related deaths.

Ladapo also warned about the risks of vaccinating “healthy children with no underlying conditions.” The surgeon general questioned the CDC on Twitter.

“A pre-print from Thailand found that 3.5% of adolescent boys had overt or subclinical myocarditis after getting the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Is @CDCGov doing similar prospective study in the US? Is anyone?”

In November 2022, Ladapo took to social media to warn parents to keep COVID vaccines away from their children following a report from the New England Journal of Medicine.

Ladapo said, “Parents, don’t hold your breath… CDC & FDA abandoned their posts. Keep sticking with your intuition and keep those COVID jabs away from your kids.”