Louisiana’s leading health officer said in an internal note to the state health department on Thursday that he would no longer use media campaigns or health reports to promote vaccination against diseases that can be prevented.
The employee, Dr. Ralph L. Abraham, Louisiana’s general surgeon, wrote in the note that the state would “encourage every patient to discuss the dangers and benefits of vaccination with their provider”, but “no longer promote mass vaccination”.
The letter came on a day when the US Senate confirmed Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has asked questions about vaccines as the new US Health Minister. But it was not clear if the note had come in response to the change of federal leadership.
“Vaccines must be treated with shade, recognizing the differences between seasonal vaccines and childhood immunerations, which are an important part of the supply of immunity to our children,” wrote Dr. Abraham, a former Republican Congress.
A Louisiana Ministry spokesman did not immediately answer questions on Thursday night to questions about the scope of the directive and how it can affect the distribution of vaccines.
The Ministry of Health in New Orleans, Louisiana’s largest city, quickly stated that the state would not follow.
“We will continue to promote strongly child and seasonal vaccination and expand our efforts locally to fill the gaps that left the new direction of the state,” said Dr. Jennifer Avegno, director of the Health Department of New Orlean.
The city’s health department is the only one in the state that operates independently of the Louisiana Ministry of Health.
In his note, Dr. Abraham said that the state health department would also stop promoting vaccinations through “corporate relations” and “parish units”.
He wrote that state health employees should not order “people to receive all vaccines”, but instead provide data on the reduced health risks associated with vaccination.
“For many diseases, vaccines are a tool in the toolbox of ways to combat serious illness,” Dr. Abraham wrote, adding that government health officials should focus on “meeting people where they are.”
During the Covid pandemic, Louisiana had the lowest nation’s vaccination rates and healthcare workers fought to combat the misinformation of Koronai immunization.
On Thursday, Dr. Abraham also issued a strong public statement with Wyche T. Coleman’s deputy general surgeon, criticizing how state and federal health authorities had responded to the pandemic.
Dr. Abraham and Dr. Coleman wrote that the implementation of vaccine commands was “an offense against personal autonomy that will take years to overcome”.
In June, Dr Abraham was appointed Louisiana’s general surgeon by state governor Jeff Landry, a Republican. Last year, Mr Landry replaced John Bel Edwards, the Democratic Governor who led Louisiana through the pandemic. Mr Edwards fought state lawmakers and Mr Landry – then the Attorney General of the State – to apply vaccination orders.
Dr. Abraham did not mention Covid in his note on vaccination, provided by the Deputy Secretary of the Department.
New Orleans Times-Picayune previously mentioned the note.
The US Department of Health and Human Services did not immediately respond to commentary request on Thursday night.
Louisiana is experiencing an increase in the flu this winter.
Emily Cochrane They contributed reports.
