Former Trump Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams said Tuesday on “CBS This Morning” that Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) banning school mask mandates was “unconscionable.”
Co-host Vlad Duthiers said, “So, Florida’s governor says the state could withhold the salary of school officials whose defy orders to ban mask mandates. As a physician, as a father, what’s your reaction to that?”
Adams said, “As a physician, as a public health expert, it is deeply troubling that it seems we’re letting politics get in the way of protecting our youth. As a father, I quite frankly think it’s unconscionable. I really do. I think you can’t tie the hands of school and public health officials based on what you perceive to be the reality when your public health officials are telling you they need these tools.”
Duthiers said, “You’ve said recently this pandemic is spiraling out of control again. What do you think the next few weeks, months are going to look like?”
Adams said, “We’re going to see more spread, unfortunately. Today I’m touring Oklahoma University health center. Our nurses, our doctors. They’re quite simply overwhelmed. Fortunately, with higher vaccination rates, we’re not going to see as many deaths as we could otherwise, but it’s going to be a tough next couple of weeks. Parents, if your kids are over 12, please get your questions answered so you can get them vaccinated. You should consider wearing an N-95 mask because they’re available now. Keep an eye on the numbers in your area, the COVID numbers, so that you can make an informed decision even as the politicians are telling you they won’t let it be mandated.”
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