PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday introduced a package of proposals to permanently ban COVID-19-related restrictions, from mask requirements to medical professionals’ ability to disagree with restrictions, in Florida.
The governor was joined at a news conference in Panama City Beach by U.S. Rep. Dr. Neal Dunn (R-Fla.), Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis and Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo.
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Under the heading “Permanent Protections Against the Biomedical Security State,” the governor proposed:
- Permanently banning COVID-19 mask requirements
- Permanently banning COVID-19 mask and vaccine requirements in all schools
- Permanently banning COVID-19 vaccine passports
- Permanently banning employers from hiring or firing based on whether a worker has gotten an mRNA vaccine
The governor also proposed legislation to protect medical professionals from speaking out against medical and scientific topics they disagree with, while also protecting their religious views.
The governor has long spoken out against COVID-19 protections, which are widely considered to be effective in protecting people from COVID-19. While he has supported vaccinating seniors and medical professionals with the COVID-19 vaccine, he has since become a big opponent of the vaccine, often citing alternative data regarding its effectiveness.
The COVID-19 vaccine has been shown to be effective at preventing serious illness and death.
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