The Advocate: Louisiana Department of Health ends mass vaccinations, bans seasonal vaccine promotion

[Dennis Donovan]

The Advocate - (archived: https://archive.ph/cePEE ) Louisiana Department of Health ends mass vaccinations, bans seasonal vaccine promotion

By EMILY WOODRUFF | Staff writer Feb 13, 2025

Louisiana Surgeon General Ralph Abraham sent a directive to state health workers Thursday ending long-standing mass vaccination clinics and banning staff from promoting seasonal vaccines, while publicly issuing a letter that criticizes the state’s COVID response and public health institutions.

The letter was posted on the Louisiana Health Department's website as the U.S. Senate voted to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vaccine critic, as Health and Human Services secretary.

In his internal directive, Abraham said employees should not recommend vaccines, but could provide data about inoculations and suggest that Louisiana residents to talk to health professionals.

"Rather than instructing individuals to receive any and all vaccines, LDH staff should communicate data regarding the reduced risk of disease, hospitalization, and death associated with a vaccine and encourage individuals to discuss considerations for vaccination with their healthcare provider," Abraham, a family physician, wrote in his communication, obtained by The Times-Picayune. Officials with the state health department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Parish health units will continue to stock vaccines, the document said, but LDH “will no longer promote mass vaccination.” Previous mass vaccination efforts across the state resulted in thousands of flu shots given in a single day, according to news reports.

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[Lovie777]

1. People can always leave the state for vaccinations................

Louisiana governor and administration is crazier than most and probably will do what the other psycho red states do in trying to stop the people from doing so.