This post has been updated
On this Wednesday, Sept. 22, episode of Sundial.
Florida鈥檚 New Surgeon General
Florida has a new surgeon general in its ongoing battle against the coronavirus pandemic. This week, Dr. Joseph Ladapo, a medical professor from the University of California Los Angeles, was appointed to the role.
鈥Florida will completely reject fear as a way of making policies in public health. So we are done with fear,鈥 said Ladapo, during a press conference in Tallahassee.
Ladapo has been an outspoken critic of public health measures like mask mandates and mandatory lockdowns to slow the spread of COVID-19. He replaced Surgeon General Scott Rivkees who stepped down from his post 鈥 after just a few years with the DeSantis administration.
Beyond COVID there are other public health issues facing the new state surgeon general.
鈥淲e鈥檝e got a hepatitis problem in parts of Florida. There鈥檚 gonna be mosquito borne illnesses, the aftermath of hurricanes that put a strain on our health system. And there are still billions of dollars of federal aid that hasn鈥檛 been tapped yet.鈥 said Jeffrey Schweers, the capital bureau reporter for the USA Today Network in Florida.
Inequities in Vaccine Distribution
The coronavirus pandemic has both illuminated and exacerbated the disparity in healthcare treatment across racial lines in this country. For much of the past year, Health News Florida's Stephanie Colombini and Kerry Sheridan have been reporting on how the coronavirus pandemic has exposed the inequities in Florida鈥檚 healthcare system. It鈥檚 an ongoing series called Unequal Shots.
They looked at how the state鈥檚 COVID-19 vaccine rollout revealed an uneven playing field for minority communities. Read more of their reporting here.
Afghan Refugee
South Florida is getting ready to welcome refugees who have fled Afghanistan. It鈥檚 been a month since the Taliban took control of the country as the U.S. prepared to withdraw.
The Refugee Assistance Alliance is a local organization focused on helping Middle Eastern, Asian and African refugees navigate their new life in South Florida. They recently received a prestigious grant to expand their services and welcome new families.
鈥淟anguage is a huge component of it. But even more than that they need a friend and neighbor that will help them navigate life here. They don鈥檛 get a road map of how to navigate life in the U.S,鈥 said Kristen Bloom, the organization鈥檚 executive director.
The organization expects to begin welcoming Afghan refugees within the coming months. It鈥檚 unclear how many will be resettling in South Florida though estimates are in the hundreds.