Following news of a measles outbreak in Broward County Schools, Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo issued guidance to parents that ignores accepted medical practice. Once again, Florida’s Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo is pushing guidance that can be harmful to Floridians. Ron’s politicized choice for Surgeon General is putting the health and well-being of Florida children at risk with guidance that flies in the face of public health standards.
Experts believe that measles cases in Florida are rising due to the anti-vax sentiment being encouraged by Florida Republicans. Dr. Ladapo should leave his personal politics out of things and stick to established medical principles.
The following guidelines are crafted from guidance provided by the Centers for Disease Control:
- Measles can be dangerous, especially for babies and young children.
- The CDC recommends that unvaccinated children diagnosed with or experiencing symptoms related to measles remain home for up to 21 days.
- Individuals are considered contagious up to four days after a rash occurs.
- Parents and others should continue to monitor their children for any symptoms, and continue to follow CDC guidance to help prevent the spread of measles.
