Florida Health Department advises against fall COVID-19 vaccines
On September 12, the Florida Department of Health issued updated guidance advising against the use of updated mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, contradicting federal health officials. The guidance claims that updated vaccines have not been tested properly for safety and effectiveness, highlights several rare adverse events, and repeats the myth that mRNA vaccines can potentially alter DNA. Notably, the Florida Surgeon General recommends that patients who are at high risk from COVID-19 be directed toward non-mRNA vaccines and make lifestyle changes like improving diet and exercise to reduce the risk of severe illness. The letter does not, however, mention Novavax or explain what non-mRNA vaccines are available.
Many social media users both in Florida and nationally responded to the letter with support for the Surgeon General, including those advocating for him to have a position in a potential Trump Administration. The responses primarily focused on alleged safety concerns; doubts about the vaccines’ effectiveness; general distrust of COVID-19 vaccines and other vaccines; and promotion of COVID-19 vaccine “alternatives,” with many echoing the Surgeon General’s advice to get vitamin D and avoid processed food.
This is not the first time that the Florida Surgeon General has contradicted CDC and FDA guidance. A high-profile state health official discouraging COVID-19 vaccination and promoting misleading and false claims about mRNA vaccine safety may hamper vaccine uptake among older adults and other high-risk populations in Florida, where one in five residents is 65 and older. Messaging may highlight key talking points rather than attempting to debunk every false and misleading claim in the letter. Explaining that like updated flu vaccines, updated COVID-19 vaccines are a better match for currently circulating variants, and getting an updated vaccine will help to protect against severe illness, hospitalization, long COVID, and death. Messaging may explain how mRNA vaccines work, why they are easier to update than protein-based vaccines like Novavax, and that no widespread safety concerns related to mRNA vaccines have been identified in over four years of research and monitoring.
Talking points may explain that serious adverse events after COVID-19 vaccination are rare and that the benefits of vaccination far outweigh the risks. For example, myocarditis is extremely rare and more likely to occur after COVID-19 infection than after COVID-19 vaccination. Debunking messaging may explain that the CDC and FDA previously confirmed that the residual DNA in mRNA vaccines is not harmful and that there is no scientific basis for claims that DNA in vaccines can alter a recipient’s DNA. Messaging may also emphasize that COVID-19 is still a threat, especially to older adults and other high-risk populations, and that vaccination is the best and safest way to protect yourself and your loved ones. While diet, exercise, and other lifestyle changes may improve overall health, there is no evidence that they protect against COVID-19. Finally, talking points may explain that all approved COVID-19 vaccines—mRNA-based and otherwise—are safe and effective, and that Novavax may be a good option for individuals seeking non-mRNA vaccines.
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The Public Health Communications Collaborative (PHCC) was formed in 2020 to coordinate and amplify public health messaging on COVID-19 and increase Americans’ confidence in guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state and local public health officials.
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