MIAMI, FL — Governor Ron DeSantis announced today that he’ll sign an executive order taking away the ability of local school districts to require masks even as COVID-19 cases in the state are spiking. Dr. Bernard Ashby, Miami cardiologist and Florida State Lead for the Committee to Protect Medicare, released the following statement in response to Gov. DeSantis’s announcement:
“By taking away the ability of local schools to enact protections for students, educators, and their families, DeSantis is demonstrating yet again that he cares more about political posturing than protecting Floridians’ health and lives. A year and a half into this pandemic, we know that masks are a simple and effective way to help prevent virus spread, and from a medical perspective it makes absolutely zero sense to discourage their use. Especially since many school-aged children aren’t old enough yet to take the safe, effective vaccines, DeSantis’ power grab will put the health of kids and teachers alike at risk.”
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