Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida will advise the majority of individuals against receiving the newest COVID booster.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida will recommend most citizens don’t take the latest COVID-19 booster shot, saying Wednesday there is not enough data to show the potential benefits of the vaccine outweigh potential risks.

Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is running for president, and Florida Surgeon Joseph Ladapo discussed the vaccine with doctors on a Zoom call livestreamed on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. It repeated much of what they said a week ago during a live event in Jacksonville, in which they warned against the vaccine the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved this week.

DeSantis stated on Wednesday that this issue has clearly caused tension in our society. In Florida, we have chosen to pursue a distinct approach.

DeSantis introduced the doctors after the words “NO WAY FDA” appeared on the screen, initiating the discussion.

Ladapo stated that the CDC and FDA’s actions regarding COVID are perplexing in terms of data analysis and common sense, indicating that we still reside in a world where they follow their own unique approach.

Ladapo’s previous warnings against COVID-19 vaccines prompted a public letter from federal health agencies saying his claims were harmful to the public. The FDA and CDC sent the letter in March to Ladapo, a DeSantis appointee who has attracted national scrutiny over his close alignment with the governor in opposing COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other health policies embraced by the federal government.