Louisiana: come for the gumbo, stay for the flu and Covid!

[thewayne]

*sigh*

In a verbal communication, the Louisiana Health Department has stopped promoting vaccines for flu, covid, and mpox. It is hosting no clinics. It is still supposedly promoting childhood vaccines.

Department spokesman "Emma Herrock did not deny the claim or dispute any of the outlets' [NPR] reporting. Instead, Herrock provided a statement confirming that the department's policy had shifted, specifically, it moved "away from one-size-fits-all paternalistic guidance" and to the stance that "immunization for any vaccine ... are an individual’s personal choice." Discussions and decisions about vaccines should be between an individual and their health provider, the statement read."

Even the Dept of Health clinics are not allowed to advertise the fact in their own clinics! that they offer vaccinations!

Many employees are questioning just what is the point of working there.

December 20 Ars Technica article:
https://arstechnica.com/health/2024/12/louisiana-bars-health-dept-from-promoting-flu-covid-mpox-vaccines-report/


On December 23, Ars reported that Louisiana is at the lowest of the three top stages for reported influenza-like illnesses. Oregon is the only other state at this level. The article also shows a map of the USA including territories and their reported levels as of the week ending December 14.

The scale has 13 stages, three levels (11-13) classed at Very High, which is where Louisiana and Oregon are at 11. From the article: "Louisiana is at the first of three "Very High" levels. Oregon is the only other state to have reached this level. The rest of the country spans the scale, with 13 jurisdictions at "High," including New York City and Washington, DC. There are 11 at "Moderate," 10 at "Low," and 19 at "Minimal."

A comment in this article said the following:
Tangentially, Louisiana #40 in K-12 and # 49 in higher education
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/rankings/education

https://arstechnica.com/health/2024/12/flu-surges-in-louisiana-as-health-department-barred-from-promoting-flu-shots/

Comments

[elayna]

The stupidity, it burns. I despair that people reject one of the greatest discoveries of medical science. "Why yes, we'd like people to die young or live in misery." So frustrating.

[thewayne]

It's one thing if an individual decides not to get vaccinated.  But for a health department to decide that?  O.M.G.

[elayna]

It’s a shocking betrayal of a government’s responsibility to its citizens.

[armiphlage]

In 2025: "Our health is horrible, why are we paying for a health department? Let's close it, and use the money to give a tax break to billionaires"

[elayna]

So unfortunately true. I feel like most of the news these days, I don’t know whether to laugh or cry or be angry.

[ranunculus]

Ditto.

[thewayne]

ROFLMAO!

[marahmarie]

Exactly.

(then you watch as 9 out if 10 of them deny that's what happening no matter what kind of proof you offer because "vaccines bad" and "autism" but "horse wormer and raw milk good")

[thewayne]

It absolutely is.

[arlie]

Stupidity? I feel certain it's something even worse: religion. I'm not sure whether the religion in question is some variant of Christianity, where a "good" God is personally and intentionally responsible for all the suffering in the world, not just the part created by those responding to His Commandments. It might also be the Libertarian Religion, or some variant on Austerity/Frugality as virtue.

[elayna]

Believing in a religion to the extent that you mistrust science and the truth people have figured out thru the scientific method is stupidity to me!

[richardf8]

You gotta love the Republican immigration strategy - how do you keep people from immigrating from shithole countries? By becoming a shithole country!

[thewayne]

You ain't far from the truth there!

[warriorsavant]

Every time I start thinking the right has some valid points, the get even more psycho.

[thewayne]

You would think that one of the rules of the right would be 'Try to avoid killing off your voting base', but the evidence would suggest otherwise.

[ranunculus]

'Try to avoid killing off your voting base'
Not only are they trying to kill off their own voting base, they are creating vast pools of infection for the rest of us to try and dodge.
I have a anti-vax family who has horses here. They were determined to ignore the threat of Covid. The whole family had it in the first round and I know the mother can no longer smell. Arrgh!

[marahmarie]

Only problem is it's not happening fast enough. I'd thought after millions of COVID deaths concentrated mostly among them, swigging colloidal silver, horse wormer and raw milk like water, swearing off any treatment for any disease that actually works and 4 guns per their person they'd all be decimated by now but here we are.

[marahmarie]

"Give it another 10 years", someone will tell me. Well hell, fine, though too late then.

[thewayne]

Can the country survive the next four years is the more immediate time frame?

[marahmarie]

If we can still vote the next Congress in - so just under two years from now - I'll consider our democracy's ability to not fall from all the damage, dismantling of it and corruption that will have been carried out by then much stronger than I thought.

Not betting on it, at least not until I see how the next two years unfolds.

[disneydream06]

Dear States of America...

Welcome back to the Pandemic. :o

Hugs, Jon

[silveradept]

The cause and effect here is pretty clear, and yes, I'm sure that if you pointed that out to the relevant authorities, they would pretend not to see it nor hear you telling them that they're putting people in danger by saying their public health policy is "get infected and die, see if we care."

[bibliofile]

I saw an announcment that the New Orleans Health Department would absolutely continue promoting vaccines and vaccine clinics. Of course, I can't look at it on Txitter or even the Health Department's own site, but I found it on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/nolahealthdept/p/DD0KiQWJ6KA/

[thewayne]

Good for N'Awlins!

[pondhopper]

I hate what the US is becoming and that's all I can say. It's too much to contemplate.

[thewayne]

Completely agree.