BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. – U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz was joined by an epidemiologist Tuesday to discuss safety measures schools and parents should consider in response to the recent measles outbreak in Broward County.
“Measles is a public health threat to Florida and so is Joe Ladapo,” Wasserman Schultz said at a news conference in Sunrise.
According to the Florida Department of Health, the spread of the highly contagious airborne virus increased the total number of cases to nine in Broward.
Seven cases have been linked to Manatee Bay Elementary School in Weston while the other two cases appear to be outside the school community.
“As of February 22, 2024, a total of 35 measles cases were reported by 15 jurisdictions: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York City, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington,” according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
It comes after the first case of measles in South Florida was reported on Feb. 16, an outbreak linked to Manatee Bay Elementary School.
Broward County Superintendent Peter Licata reported during a public meeting that 33 out of 1,067 Manatee Bay Elementary School students were not vaccinated.
Although the Florida Department of Health recommended, but did not mandate that individuals without a history of prior infection or vaccination stay home for up to 21 days, officials say Ladapo is brushing off that advice by not urging parents to vaccinate their kids against the highly contagious virus and he says unvaccinated students don’t need to stay at home.
“Measles is a very serious disease that causes hospitalization on average in about 1 to 5 people,” said Dr. Mary Jo Trepka, with Florida International University.
“This is an important time with this outbreak to underscore the significance of vaccinations and other immunizations,” said Florida PTA member; legislative chair Latha Krishnaiyer.
On Sunday, during “This Week in South Florida,” Dr. Aileen Marty, an infectious disease expert with FIU, said the effectiveness of vaccines caused people to forget how dangerous measles can be.
Ladapo, the state’s surgeon general, faced criticism over his handling of the outbreak at Manatee Bay Elementary School, which is located at 19200 Manatee Isles Drive.
“Due to the high immunity rate in the community, as well as the burden on families and educational cost of healthy children missing school, (the state health department) is deferring to parents or guardians to make decisions about school attendance,” Ladapo wrote in a letter to parents.
Wasserman Schultz called on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to remove Ladapo in light of his latest act of “dangerous negligence” following another outbreak and a series of inadequate and potentially hazardous responses to past public health concerns.
She says she wants to see vaccines required, a quarantine period stressed and a public health emergency declared.
“We need strong public health information and action in Florida or people will die,” said Wasserman Schultz.
Ladapo has been opposed to mainstream medical protocols since DeSantis hired him two years ago amid COVID-19 health measures that aligned against forced vaccinations and masking.
His department’s website calls the once-eradicated measles “highly contagious and vaccine-preventable,” and his state now leads the nation in a measles resurgence.
Ladipo has not responded publicly to any interview requests.