Florida Health Department Official Suspended After Sending Pro-Vaccine Email To Employees

News Times Link: A Florida Health Department employee, who played a key role in running central Florida during the coronavirus pandemic, took administrative leave while investigating whether they forced their employees to be vaccinated.
Orange County Health Commissioner Raul Pino, a health department official, said: “This employee has been given administrative leave because the vaccination decision is an individual medical choice that should not be coerced and prescribed by the employer.”
“The Florida Department of Health is investigating whether the law has been violated in this case,” the Florida Department of Health said in a statement. “We will take appropriate action as soon as additional information becomes available.”
The bill, signed by Governor Ron DeSantis last fall, prohibits government agencies from prescribing vaccinations and requires workers to obtain immunity for medical reasons, religious beliefs, previous infections, routine testing, or contracting to wear them protective equipment.
Some of the emails WFTV received read: “I’m having a hard time understanding what we can do without practicing public health.”
He wrote that few employees in his department get booster injections, and less than half have had two injections.
“I’m sorry, but it’s irresponsible unless you have a reasonable and practical reason not to get vaccinated,” Pino said in an email. “We’ve been doing this for two years, we’re the first to bring a vaccine to the public, we’ve made over 300,000 vaccines and we’re not even 50% pathetic.”
Pino has been at this location since May 2019. On Wednesday, he did not immediately respond to a message asking for comment.

Ron DeSantis, who signed the law last fall, will bar government agencies from enforcing vaccine requirements and limit vaccine requirements to private businesses unless workers are needed for medical reasons, religious beliefs, or past infections. Routine tests cannot proceed or continue based on immunity. I agree to wear protective equipment.

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