A well-known Merced County physician and public health officer were reprimanded by higher-ups and eventually, his contract was not renewed for speaking out publicly at a school board meeting earlier in 2022. At issue was a resolution initiated by one of the school board trustees opposing mandatory vaccination of school-aged children for Covid-19. Though the resolution was largely symbolic, it was politically motivated as well as illegal if implemented. The physician spoke out against the measure mainly because it gave the wrong message—that the pandemic was over and that there was no need to vaccinate children. At the time only 16% of 5- to 11-year-olds were vaccinated, one of the worst rates in the state.
Though it was claimed that those who had wanted to vaccinate their children already had their chance, there was no mention of barriers to vaccination. Parents are confused over mixed messages in social media and by authority figures and politicians. Legitimate questions and concerns have not been dealt with sufficiently. Fear of financial burden and costs and worry about being labeled as “public charges” abound.
The least vaccinated in the schools are children of the poor. In Merced County, these children and their families are the most impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Often living in crowded homes with 3 generations, the parents are the “essential workers” [some say disposable workers] in farm labor, canneries, food processing, domestic work, health care, and other low-pay service jobs. They suffered disproportionately from infections, hospitalizations, and death, especially at the beginning of the pandemic, because they did not have the luxury of working from home.
Today public health workers have also become “disposable people” if they speak up. Since the beginning of the Pandemic, 17 public health officers and 27 public health directors in the 58 counties of California have been removed or forced to leave under pressure. Public health and the science on which it is based are under attack if they stand in the way of business as usual, even if it means letting people die. That is why the messengers are being silenced.
Our priorities are wrong and must be redirected. Every human being is essential and has value. Health care delivery and maintenance of public health and safety should serve this purpose. But it doesn’t stop there. Securing adequate housing, financial security, educational opportunities, and other basic human needs must be addressed also. Our elected officials must hear this message loud and clear.
To address these needs, we must work together and look out for each other. The health officer in question may be reinstated because in an acute physician shortage area such as Merced County no one else wants the job. But it doesn’t stop there. Let’s make sure we don’t lose one more parent, grandparent, or other loved one to a preventable disease like Covid-19.
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For more details, read the local newspaper
https://mercedcountytimes.com/dr-sandoval-returns-as-county-health-officer/
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