Contrary to the recommendations of US health experts, the authorities in Florida have recommended that inhabitants of the state under the age of 65 avoid receiving new Covid booster shots.
The announcement made by Governor Ron DeSantis came one day after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggested that those in the United States older than six months obtain booster shots.
Cases of covid are on the rise in the United States and other nations, albeit at levels that are far lower than earlier on in the pandemic.
The recommendations provided by the CDC are not in line with the policies of the United Kingdom or the majority of European nations.
This was a point that Mr. DeSantis, the Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo, and three other doctors who joined the video chat social media, where the announcement was made, all brought up multiple times.
Boosters will be provided by the government of the United Kingdom to individuals who are over the age of 65, younger people who fall into clinical risk categories, frontline health workers, and others who come into touch with vulnerable people.
According to recommendations made by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), member states of the European Union should place a higher priority on protecting the health of elderly and other vulnerable groups than they do on protecting the health of younger individuals.
Mr. DeSantis, who is also a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, was an ardent proponent of Covid vaccines when they were first introduced, but he has since repeatedly criticized vaccine manufacturers and raised safety concerns, going far beyond opposition to vaccine mandates.
Numerous states, including Florida, have enacted legislation prohibiting employment or entry requirements for businesses or public spaces.
On Wednesday, Mr. DeSantis and the physicians who participated in the conference call raised questions about the safety and effectiveness of booster doses and Covid vaccinations in general.
"Once again, Florida is the first state in the nation to stand up and provide direction based on facts, not Washington directives," the governor said in a statement.
The viewpoint of Florida is in direct opposition to the recommendations made by leaders in the United States and medical professionals around the country.
In an article for The New York Times, CDC Director Mandy Cohen stated that "Covid-19 vaccinations are the best method to give the body the ability to protect the virus from inflicting major harm." "Both in-depth research and practical application have conclusively demonstrated that not only are they risk-free, but that they are also effective. And the majority of Americans consume them."
The boosters are modified versions of previously developed Covid vaccinations.
These vaccines have been put through randomised controlled trials, which are considered to be the "gold standard" in scientific research, as well as data collected from real-life settings all around the world.
According to experts, the benefits of Covid vaccines significantly outweigh the hazards. Nevertheless, the risk-benefit analysis is more precisely calculated for younger, healthier individuals who are less prone to suffer from severe Covid sickness.
