Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is seeking legal options regarding whether Floridians were misled by COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers as reports indicate he was vaccinated for the first time last week.
The Associated Press reported Wednesday that DeSantis, a Republican who handily won reelection last month and might be considering a 2024 presidential bid, received a single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine last week.
The governor mentioned his vaccination status during an interview with Fox News' Maria Bartiromo on Sunday Morning Futures, according to Florida Politics.
"I've done whatever I did, the normal shot, and that at the end of the day is people's individual decisions about what they want to do," DeSantis said when asked if he had received a booster shot.
DeSantis Press Secretary Christina Pushaw told Florida Politics that she is "not able to speak to his private medical decisions."
During an appearance Tuesday evening on Fox News' The Ingraham Angle, DeSantis told host Laura Ingraham that individuals who have received mRNA shots weigh the benefits and drawbacks.
He touted how Florida banned vaccine passports nearly two years ago and saved countless jobs due to not enforcing vaccine mandates. He wondered how "hundreds of universities" in other states are still enforcing vaccine mandates when there is "deception" propagated by the medical establishment.
"It seems like our medical establishment never wanted to be honest with people about the potential drawbacks," DeSantis said.
Aside from petitioning for a grand jury investigation, the Public Health Integrity Committee, led by Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo, will "assess federal public health recommendations and guidance to ensure that Florida's public health policies are tailored for Florida's communities and priorities."
That includes "leading further surveillance into sudden deaths of individuals" who received the coronavirus vaccine in Florida, based on autopsy results. The state will reportedly collaborate with the University of Florida to compare research with studies done in other countries.
AP reported that DeSantis is among about 6.6 million Floridians who have gotten vaccinated, or about one-third of the state's residents.
While DeSantis received his shot behind closed doors to relatively no fanfare, other Republican leaders—including South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem and Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt—posted photos of receiving shots or advocated for people to receive them if not already done so.
"I think that me being here as the governor of a state like Oklahoma, hopefully I can encourage others to follow my lead," Stitt said after getting his shot last month. He previously tested positive for the virus in July.
Vaccinations aside, DeSantis is arguably the most popular Republican in the country.
A USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll published Tuesday found that DeSantis leads former President Donald Trump in a hypothetical 2024 matchup, receiving 56 percent support to Trump's 33 percent among Republican voters and independents who identify as either conservative or very conservative.
While 65 percent of respondents want DeSantis to run for the nation's highest office, only 47 percent of respondents felt the same about Trump.
DeSantis also carries a 30-percent advantage over Trump among Fox News viewers, representing a drastic change compared to when Trump won in 2016.
Newsweek reached out to DeSantis' office for comment.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Nick Mordowanec is a Newsweek reporter based in Michigan. His focus is reporting on Ukraine and Russia, along with social ... Read more
