COVID researchers: Florida ‘cherry-picked’ our work in kid vaccine recommendation

Florida's Surgeon General, Joseph Ladapo, has come under fire for his recommendation against COVID-19 vaccination for healthy children aged 5 to 17, citing a study that he claims supports his stance. However, researchers whose work was used in the recommendation vehemently disagree with Ladapo's interpretation, stating that their findings do not support his conclusions. They accuse Ladapo of "cherry-picking" data, selectively using portions of their research to support his pre-determined conclusion. The researchers emphasize that their findings actually show a clear benefit of vaccination for children in this age group, particularly in reducing severe illness and hospitalization. Ladapo's recommendation has been met with widespread criticism from public health experts who argue that it undermines public trust in science and could lead to a decline in vaccination rates.

This controversy underscores the importance of relying on credible sources and accurate interpretations of scientific data when making public health decisions.