Dr. Lisa Gwynn, a pediatrician with University of Miami Health System who had advocated for vaccine access for poor young kids, was removed from board
State claims she publicly criticized Florida's decision to delay access to the COVID-19 vaccine for children under 5
Email from the office of Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis told her she would be removed from her position on the Florida Healthy Kids Board
State says Gwynn made 'some very political statements that do not reflect the CFO's point of view'
Email sent to her claimed she went 'so far as to say that the state is 'obstructing' access to vaccines
Gwynn had been critical of the state's refusal to pre-order COVID-19 shots for children from 6 months to 5 years old - the only state in the county to do that
Florida pediatricians and parents have criticized the decision
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has argued vaccinating young children is not 'appropriate'
442 children have died from the coronavirus since April 2020 out of more than 1 million deaths across the United States
By JAMES GORDON FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
PUBLISHED:3 July 2022
A Florida pediatrician has been removed from a state health board for pushing for under-5s to receive COVID vaccines - and accusing her colleagues of 'obstructing' access to the shots.
Dr. Lisa Gwynn, who works as a pediatrician in the University of Miami Health System, revealed she'd been ousted from her role on the Florida Healthy Kids Board June 29, and took to Twitter to share her outrage.
'On the same day that we began administering COVID-19 vaccine to infants and children under 5, I was removed from the Florida Healthy Kids Board for advocating for equitable access for the underserved and for pediatricians. Disappointing.'
Gwynn was told on Wednesday that she was being removed from her position on the Florida Healthy Kids Board of directors because of 'some very political statements that do not reflect the CFO's point of view.'
Controversy over vaccinating under 5s has roiled much of the US, with many parents who've themselves chosen to get the shot hesitant to get their children inoculated.
CDC figures showed that just 422 children aged under five have died of COVID in the US since the start of the pandemic.
The shots carry a very low risk of potentially-serious complications in young people, including inflammation of the heart.
That has seen many parents opt to avoid seeking vaccines for children who are unlikely to experience serious side effects, many of whom also likely have natural immunity from prior COVID infections.
But experts highlight the unknowns about long-term COVID infections in children, as well as potentially deadly inflammatory conditions caused by the disease in youngsters, when explaining why under-5s should be vaccinated.
Dr. Lisa Gwynn, a pediatrician with University of Miami Health System who had advocated for vaccine access for poor young kids, was removed from board
Dr. Lisa Gwynn tweeted about her removal from the children's health board. She had only been on the board since March. The appointment was supposed to last three years
Gywnn had held the board position, which was supposed to be for three years, since March.
The email went on to suggest that Dr. Gwynn had been claiming 'the state is 'obstructing' access to vaccines' but noted that the state's Chief Financial Officer of the state of Florida, Jimmy Patronis, a Republican, disagreed with her view.
PUBLISHED:3 July 2022
A Florida pediatrician has been removed from a state health board for pushing for under-5s to receive COVID vaccines - and accusing her colleagues of 'obstructing' access to the shots.
Dr. Lisa Gwynn, who works as a pediatrician in the University of Miami Health System, revealed she'd been ousted from her role on the Florida Healthy Kids Board June 29, and took to Twitter to share her outrage.
'On the same day that we began administering COVID-19 vaccine to infants and children under 5, I was removed from the Florida Healthy Kids Board for advocating for equitable access for the underserved and for pediatricians. Disappointing.'
Gwynn was told on Wednesday that she was being removed from her position on the Florida Healthy Kids Board of directors because of 'some very political statements that do not reflect the CFO's point of view.'
Controversy over vaccinating under 5s has roiled much of the US, with many parents who've themselves chosen to get the shot hesitant to get their children inoculated.
CDC figures showed that just 422 children aged under five have died of COVID in the US since the start of the pandemic.
The shots carry a very low risk of potentially-serious complications in young people, including inflammation of the heart.
That has seen many parents opt to avoid seeking vaccines for children who are unlikely to experience serious side effects, many of whom also likely have natural immunity from prior COVID infections.
But experts highlight the unknowns about long-term COVID infections in children, as well as potentially deadly inflammatory conditions caused by the disease in youngsters, when explaining why under-5s should be vaccinated.
Dr. Lisa Gwynn, a pediatrician with University of Miami Health System who had advocated for vaccine access for poor young kids, was removed from board
Dr. Lisa Gwynn tweeted about her removal from the children's health board. She had only been on the board since March. The appointment was supposed to last three years
Gywnn had held the board position, which was supposed to be for three years, since March.
The email went on to suggest that Dr. Gwynn had been claiming 'the state is 'obstructing' access to vaccines' but noted that the state's Chief Financial Officer of the state of Florida, Jimmy Patronis, a Republican, disagreed with her view.
'The CFO does not share your opinion and believes that the state has gone to great lengths to protect lives in the face of the coronavirus,' the email said, as seen by Florida Politics.
Gwynn said all of her decision are made with health in mind rather rather than anything political - although the words 'equity' and 'equitable' have become synonymous with hard-left policy making.
Gwynn used the woke buzzword - which pushes for equality of outcome instead of equality of opportunity - again in a Miami Herald interview, saying: 'Quite frankly, we're just trying to advocate for things, for equitable access to the vaccine.'
Gwynn had been critical of the state's refusal to pre-order COVID-19 shots for children from six months to five-years old - the only state in the county to do that. She is pictures receiving her shot
'I'm not a politician, I'm a pediatrician. And there's no other reason for me to do what I do other than to improve the health of children in our state.'
Florida is the only state in the country that has not ordered COVID-19 vaccines for children under 5, despite the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention endorsing the plan.
Parents are free to seek the shots out for their under-5s in the Sunshine State, and they won't be charged for them.
An email from the office of Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, pictured, told her she would be removed from her position on the Florida Healthy Kids Board
Some 442 children have died from the coronavirus since April 2020. The numbers make up a tiny proportion of the just over one million deaths from the disease.
By comparison, the group most affected are aged over 75, with more than half of U.S. deaths making up the set with 517,000 fatalities.
Those ages between 45 and 74 make up the next largest group of those succumbing to the disease with 445,000 deaths.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, 2.7 million shots have been delivered to vaccine providers around the U.S., with up to ten million doses to be delivered as part of this first batch.
President Joe Biden, who has long been a proponent of expanding America's COVID-19 vaccine eligibility, remarked Tuesday that America was the only country in the world vaccinating children as young as six months.
It comes as Covid cases in the U.S. remain steady at around 100,000 per day, and deaths remain in the 300 per day area.
But many parents have mixed feelings about vaccinating their children.
Although some are seeking it out for their kids, others are holding back, concerned over whether there has been enough research on the vaccines and their impact on young children.
Florida is the only state in America that has not requested shots of the COVID-19 vaccines for children aged six months to five years old. It comes after the state recommended against healthy people 17 and younger getting jabbed in March. Pictured: Florida Gov Ron DeSantis speaks at an event in New York City in May
The most concerning, and most publicized, side-effects of the COVID-19 vaccines are the heart inflammation conditions myocarditis and pericarditis.
'I encourage parents and caregivers with questions to talk to their doctor, nurse, or local pharmacist to learn more about the benefits of vaccinations and the importance of protecting their children by getting them vaccinated,' CDC Director Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky said in June.
Florida is the only state in America that has not pre-ordered shots of COVID-19 vaccines for children in the newly approved age groups believing the risk outweighs the benefits.
The Florida Department of Health is leaving the ordering of vaccines up to individual doctors instead of placing a bulk order from the federal government.
Polling for the Kaiser Family Foundation found that only about one in five parents of children under age five (18 percent) are eager to get their child vaccinated right away, while a larger share (38 percent) say they plan to wait a while to see how the vaccine is working for others.
CDC director announces COVID vaccines approved for under fives
According to the CDC's own statistics, 442 children ages four and under have died in the US from Covid-19
About four in ten parents of children under five are more reluctant to get their child vaccinated, with 27 percent saying they will 'definitely not' get their child vaccinated and 11 percent saying they will only do so if they are required.
There was also limited demand for the shots last time the FDA made them eligible for a younger age group, children aged five to 11.
The Governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, has previously said the vaccinating of young children is not 'appropriate.'
'There is not going to be any state program that are going to be trying to get COVID jabs to infants and toddlers and newborns,' he said last month.
'Although the state surgeon general is affirmatively recommending against COVID vaccines for ages 0-5, neither he nor the governor, nor any state entity, has ever 'obstructed' healthcare providers from ordering the vaccines for this age group as soon as they received emergency use authorization from the federal government,' said Christina Pushaw, a spokesperson for DeSantis.
'The decision to relieve Dr. Gwynn of her duties was made by the CFO, who has full authority over this appointment. Our office did not need to give approval for this decision to be made, but the logic of the CFO's decision is clear: A board member making public, false accusations about state policies runs the risk of jeopardizing the constructive working relationship between the Florida Healthy Kids board and the state agencies they work closely with, including DOH and AHCA.'
Gwynn said all of her decision are made with health in mind rather rather than anything political - although the words 'equity' and 'equitable' have become synonymous with hard-left policy making.
Gwynn used the woke buzzword - which pushes for equality of outcome instead of equality of opportunity - again in a Miami Herald interview, saying: 'Quite frankly, we're just trying to advocate for things, for equitable access to the vaccine.'
Gwynn had been critical of the state's refusal to pre-order COVID-19 shots for children from six months to five-years old - the only state in the county to do that. She is pictures receiving her shot
'I'm not a politician, I'm a pediatrician. And there's no other reason for me to do what I do other than to improve the health of children in our state.'
Florida is the only state in the country that has not ordered COVID-19 vaccines for children under 5, despite the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention endorsing the plan.
Parents are free to seek the shots out for their under-5s in the Sunshine State, and they won't be charged for them.
An email from the office of Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, pictured, told her she would be removed from her position on the Florida Healthy Kids Board
Some 442 children have died from the coronavirus since April 2020. The numbers make up a tiny proportion of the just over one million deaths from the disease.
By comparison, the group most affected are aged over 75, with more than half of U.S. deaths making up the set with 517,000 fatalities.
Those ages between 45 and 74 make up the next largest group of those succumbing to the disease with 445,000 deaths.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, 2.7 million shots have been delivered to vaccine providers around the U.S., with up to ten million doses to be delivered as part of this first batch.
President Joe Biden, who has long been a proponent of expanding America's COVID-19 vaccine eligibility, remarked Tuesday that America was the only country in the world vaccinating children as young as six months.
It comes as Covid cases in the U.S. remain steady at around 100,000 per day, and deaths remain in the 300 per day area.
But many parents have mixed feelings about vaccinating their children.
Although some are seeking it out for their kids, others are holding back, concerned over whether there has been enough research on the vaccines and their impact on young children.
Florida is the only state in America that has not requested shots of the COVID-19 vaccines for children aged six months to five years old. It comes after the state recommended against healthy people 17 and younger getting jabbed in March. Pictured: Florida Gov Ron DeSantis speaks at an event in New York City in May
The most concerning, and most publicized, side-effects of the COVID-19 vaccines are the heart inflammation conditions myocarditis and pericarditis.
'I encourage parents and caregivers with questions to talk to their doctor, nurse, or local pharmacist to learn more about the benefits of vaccinations and the importance of protecting their children by getting them vaccinated,' CDC Director Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky said in June.
Florida is the only state in America that has not pre-ordered shots of COVID-19 vaccines for children in the newly approved age groups believing the risk outweighs the benefits.
The Florida Department of Health is leaving the ordering of vaccines up to individual doctors instead of placing a bulk order from the federal government.
Polling for the Kaiser Family Foundation found that only about one in five parents of children under age five (18 percent) are eager to get their child vaccinated right away, while a larger share (38 percent) say they plan to wait a while to see how the vaccine is working for others.
CDC director announces COVID vaccines approved for under fives
According to the CDC's own statistics, 442 children ages four and under have died in the US from Covid-19
About four in ten parents of children under five are more reluctant to get their child vaccinated, with 27 percent saying they will 'definitely not' get their child vaccinated and 11 percent saying they will only do so if they are required.
There was also limited demand for the shots last time the FDA made them eligible for a younger age group, children aged five to 11.
The Governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, has previously said the vaccinating of young children is not 'appropriate.'
'There is not going to be any state program that are going to be trying to get COVID jabs to infants and toddlers and newborns,' he said last month.
'Although the state surgeon general is affirmatively recommending against COVID vaccines for ages 0-5, neither he nor the governor, nor any state entity, has ever 'obstructed' healthcare providers from ordering the vaccines for this age group as soon as they received emergency use authorization from the federal government,' said Christina Pushaw, a spokesperson for DeSantis.
'The decision to relieve Dr. Gwynn of her duties was made by the CFO, who has full authority over this appointment. Our office did not need to give approval for this decision to be made, but the logic of the CFO's decision is clear: A board member making public, false accusations about state policies runs the risk of jeopardizing the constructive working relationship between the Florida Healthy Kids board and the state agencies they work closely with, including DOH and AHCA.'
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