The CDC’s Child Vax Data & Florida’s Early Voting – Top 3 Takeaways – October 24th
- Where’s the Data? Conjuring thoughts of Wendy’s “Where’s the Beef” campaign, as I went through the most recent CDC COVID-19 data pertaining to Covid and kids, there was but one thought running through my mind. Where’s the beef, err supporting data as the case happens to be, with the CDC’s recommendation for school children to be vaccinated against COVID-19? I mean, there’s data for sure. But where in any of it is the supporting evidence for school-aged children to be immunized against COVID-19 as part of the schedule to attend school...? As I illustrate in today’s Q&A, Florida’s Surgeon General, Dr. Joseph Ladapo, has consistently provided hard data in issuing specific recommendations for COVID-19 vaccines. Including Florida’s most recent guidance issued in March which states... The Florida Department of Health (Department) is the first state in the nation to issue guidance stating that healthy children from ages 5 to 17 may not benefit from receiving the currently available COVID-19 vaccine. The Department recommends that children with underlying conditions are the best candidates for the COVID-19 vaccine. That guidance, from Florida’s top doc, stands in direct contrast to the CDC’s newest recommendation. And what does actual data show? From the CDC’s own website, children between the ages of 5-17 have accounted for 0.0009% of Covid-attributed deaths in the United States since the onset of the pandemic and remain at significantly higher risk of pneumonia, than COVID-19. At no time during this pandemic has that fact changed. In other words, if as a parent you’re supposed to worry about your children contracting COVID-19...
- Data suggests you should be panicked or something like that regarding your kids contracting pneumonia. We have nearly three years' worth of data illustrating it as the far greater threat. Where’s the intellectual honesty or data consistency from the unelected body of scientists in Atlanta who’ve not presented any data specific to last week’s school recommendation which supports their decision? Btw, the lack of data with the decision is prompting some Republicans on Capitol Hill to demand data from the CDC. This is something they may not be able to hide from if Republicans retake control of Congress in January. So far all they’ve received are “feelings”. Speaking on behalf of the CDC’s committee last week, Dr. Matthew Daley said this: I will acknowledge I appreciate that there is symbolism in adding COVID-19 to the childhood immunization schedule and that symbolism is that we view this as routine and that we view this as COVID is here to stay. When I think about the routine immunization schedule as a practicing pediatrician, I think about it as an opportunity [for] my patients to prevent serious disease and death. That's what I view that as and if something is added to the schedule, it's because I feel like the benefits continue to strongly outweigh the risks. Ok, so if that’s the barometer where’s the concern for the far more dangerous pneumonia? After all, if you “follow the science” that’s the reality. And does the CDC exist to provide their feelings, or to evidence facts and make recommendations based upon them? Where the heck is the data supporting any of this? The CDC’s rec is all bun and no beef.
- It’s voting time in Florida. Of course, for those choosing to vote by mail it already has been. In fact, prior to early voting in our state, we’ve managed to outvote all other states in the country thus far with nearly 1.2 million Floridians having already returned their voted ballots according to the Florida Division of Elections. For those preferring to vote in person, today’s the first day of this midterm cycle to do so in Florida. And for Republicans, it’s the opportunity to begin to flip the script. For years, until the 2020 cycle, Republicans in Florida had historically led Democrats in votes by mail with Democrats sporting healthy early voting leads. 2020 changed everything and the exact opposite played out. In Florida’s August Primaries it was more of the same with Democrats voting in larger numbers through the mail, with Republicans showing up in larger numbers through early voting and on Election Day. As of Sunday, 45,518 more Democrats had voted in Florida than Republicans. So, expect Republicans to begin to flip the script. In the TriCounty early voting runs from 7am to 7pm starting today. Our region of the state has far and away been the most engaged thus far. Palm Beach County leads the state in votes cast thus far followed by Miami-Dade and Broward. Today’s numbers will be interesting to watch. Not just in terms of the partisan bend of who chooses to vote but also regarding enthusiasm. It’s a Monday 15 days ahead of Election Day. How many people who want to vote in person have eagerly been waiting for the opportunity? I expect more voting records to be broken in Florida today, and in the first election cycle with a Republican voting registration advantage in Florida’s history, the first signs of whether we’re set to see a wave. It’s time for early voting in South Florida and its go time for Republicans.