Posted on by Randy Slovacek

Florida Fines TV Station $10K Over Vax Proof Policy

TV station WESH-Channel 2 in Orlando has been fined $10,000 by the Florida Department of Health for denying entry to a GOP candidate and a staffer from a political debate in September due to the station’s COVID-19 vaccine requirement.
Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida (image via official Facebook)

TV station WESH-Channel 2 in Orlando has been fined $10,000 by the Florida Department of Health for denying entry to a GOP candidate and a staffer from a political debate in September due to the station’s COVID-19 vaccine requirement.

From the Orlando Sentinel:

According to the DOH, GOP congressional candidate Scotty Moore and a campaign staffer were denied entry by the television station in September to a debate against U.S. Rep. Darren Soto, D-Kissimmee, because they did not show proof of vaccination. The debate was ultimately canceled.

State law “expressly prohibits a business entity operating in this state from requiring documentation certifying COVID-19 vaccination or post-infection recovery to gain access to, entry upon, or service from the entity,” the agency letter stated. “The Department is authorized to impose a fine of $5,000 per individual for each violation of this Section.”

When COVID-19 vaccines were first available, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was all for them, promoting them across the Sunshine State. But now that he’s angling to run for president, he’s become one of the most public anti-vax politicians in the country.

It goes without saying that COVID-19 vaccines have been shown to vastly reduce hospitalizations and deaths.

A Commonwealth Fund study released in December showed vaccines saved more than 3 million lives and prevented over 18 million additional hospitalizations in the U.S.

Florida had the 13th highest death rate in the nation as of January, with more than 85,000 Floridians having died of COVID.