The Florida Division of Well being (DOH) stated Tuesday it has positioned the division's director in Orange County on administrative go away amid an inquiry into whether or not any legal guidelines blocking vaccine mandates have been violated.
Dr. Raul Pino, who has been in his position as director of the Florida DOH in Orange County since mid-2019, has been positioned on administrative go away, state well being officers confirmed with Newsweek Tuesday night.
"As the choice to get vaccinated is a private medical selection that needs to be made free from coercion and mandates from employers, the worker in query has been positioned on administrative go away, and the Florida Division of Well being is conducting an inquiry to find out if any legal guidelines have been damaged on this case," the Florida DOH stated in an announcement shared with Newsweek.
The division's assertion concluded by saying it "is dedicated to upholding all legal guidelines, together with the ban on vaccine mandates for presidency staff and can take acceptable motion as soon as further info is understood."
The Florida DOH didn't present any further info to Newsweek concerning why Pino was positioned on administrative go away. In keeping with Orlando-based information station WFTV, its determination follows a message Pino emailed to division workers members in Orange County earlier this yr.
A duplicate of the e-mail obtained by the station appeared to indicate Pino elevating issues about COVID-19 vaccination charges for preliminary doses and booster photographs amongst state well being division staff. The e-mail acknowledged that fewer than 50 % of the division's workers members had obtained two photographs of a COVID-19 vaccine, with far fewer having obtained a booster shot on the time the e-mail was despatched.
"I'm sorry, however at this level within the absence of affordable and actual causes, it's irresponsible no [sic] to be vaccinated," Pino wrote.
Sure COVID-19 vaccine mandates in Florida, together with for state staff, have been banned final yr by Governor Ron DeSantis.
After information of the Florida DOH's determination to put Pino on administrative go away unfold, a Democrat within the state's Home of Representatives criticized the transfer and the Republican governor's administration in an announcement posted on Twitter.
"Dr. Raul Pino has been a public servant + hero for our neighborhood throughout COVID. The Tallahassee determination to put him on administrative go away seems purely political," wrote state Consultant Carlos Smith, who represents Florida's forty ninth district.
"Once you work for the #DeSantis administration, telling the reality has penalties," Smith's tweet continued. "Pino did the precise factor."
Post a Comment