‘Retract Your Lies’: DeSantis Spox Does Battle With The White House Over COVID Vaccines For Babies

Christina Pushaw disputed White House claims that Florida had “reversed course” to allow children under five access to the COVID vaccines under Emergency Use Authorizations.

Pushaw, who serves as spokeswoman for Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL), was responding to an article published Friday by McClatchy DC — which cited the White House as saying that Florida had “reversed course” after initially refusing to allow private hospitals and health care providers to order vaccine doses for children aged six months to five years.

“Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is now allowing healthcare providers — including pediatricians and children’s hospitals — to order COVID-19 vaccines from a federal program for children between six months and 5 years old, a reversal from earlier this week when providers were prevented from preordering doses, White House officials told McClatchy,” the outlet reported.

McClatchy also quoted White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre for the piece: “We are encouraged that after repeated failures by Governor DeSantis to order COVID-19 vaccines even after every other state had ordered, the State of Florida is now permitting healthcare providers to order COVID-19 vaccines for our youngest children. We believe it is critical to allow parents everywhere to have the choice to get their kids vaccinated and have a conversation with their pediatrician or healthcare provider.”

Jean-Pierre went on to say that the White House would do its best to ensure that Florida had enough pediatric doses — and called on officials to order more for the state and local health departments.

But Pushaw rebutted those claims, saying that Florida had never changed course. She said that state officials had decided not to order vaccine doses for young children — and they stood by that decision — but that individuals and private health care providers had never been denied the ability to order vaccine doses if they chose to do so.

“The White House @PressSec & @McClatchyDC are both spreading disinformation. NOTHING has ‘reversed’ or changed. The State of Florida is not placing any orders of COVID shots for 0-5 year old babies & kids,” Pushaw began.

“What they have couched as a reversal is actually the Governor’s steadfast position that the State of Florida does not recommend nor distribute shots for babies. Any healthcare provider that wants the vaccines can obtain them and any parent who wants it for their child can get it.”

What they have couched as a reversal is actually the Governor’s steadfast position that the State of Florida does not recommend nor distribute shots for babies. Any healthcare provider that wants the vaccines can obtain them and any parent who wants it for their child can get it.

— Christina Pushaw 🐊 🇺🇸 (@ChristinaPushaw) June 17, 2022

Pushaw went on to say that the reason private health care providers had not been able to preorder pediatric vaccine doses was that they had not yet been granted either FDA approval or EUA status. “No state policy change in Florida. The only thing that’s changed was the federal government (FDA) issued the EUA for the shots today,” she said. “Obviously, there must be FDA approval or an EUA for the system to process orders from healthcare providers. Retract your lies.”

Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo backed up Pushaw’s position, adding, “FL never ‘reversed course.’ We recommended against COVID-19 vax for healthy children in March b/c there was no strong evidence of benefit. This remains the same for healthy kids

FL never “reversed course.” We recommended against COVID-19 vax for healthy children in March b/c there was no strong evidence of benefit. This remains the same for healthy kids

Nice try, @WhiteHouse.

— Joseph A. Ladapo, MD, PhD (@FLSurgeonGen) June 17, 2022

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