Orlando Sentinel Lies with Disinformation in DeSantis Hit Piece

by: Tyler Shaw

Sunday, Gray Roher, Journalist for the Orlando Sentinel released a hit piece on Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL). 

The article titled, ‘DeSantis stops pushing shots’, made several inaccurate claims against Governor DeSantis. In the article Gray claimed that, since May, the Governor has said little about the need for vaccinations and has stopped conducting events in person. 

The first claim that Governor DeSantis has said little about the need for vaccinations is false. In a press conference Friday, Governor DeSantis encouraged Floridians to get vaccinated if it is in their best interest saying, “the vaccines provide good protection against serious illness.”

The second claim, that Governor DeSantis has stopped conducting events in person, is disingenuous. When the COVID-19 vaccine first became available, DeSantis held Seniors First press conferences across the state to encourage seniors to get vaccinated. With COVID-19 vaccines now widely available to all Floridians the need for these press conferences has come to an end.

Gray also included a quote from Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried (D-FL), saying, “Leading the nation in new COVID-19 cases is not something to be proud of, in fact, it is downright shameful. Because it didn’t have to be this bad.”

Her quote fails to point out that Florida has had 2.59 million cases and 39,079 deaths related to COVID-19. That is less than a 0.01% death rate since the start of the pandemic and Florida’s death rate has continued to decrease as more Floridans have been vaccinated or gained natural immunity. In fact many Floridians who are testing positive for COIVD-19 are fully vaccinated and/or are experiencing little to no symptoms. 

Christina Punshaw, Press Secretary for Governor Ron DeSantis, responded to the Orlando Sentinel in a Tweet calling for them to correct their disinformation.