ACKSONVILLE, Florida — Gov. Ron DeSantis said on Monday he will issue steep fines on local officials who fire employees who are not vaccinated against COVID-19 and is supporting a lawsuit to stop the city of Gainesville from imposing the requirement.
“We are here today to make it very clear that we are going to stand for the men and women who are serving us. We are going to protect Florida jobs,” DeSantis said at a press conference in Gainesville. “We are not going to let people be fired because of a vaccine mandate.”
DeSantis announced the state filed a legal brief supporting the 200 first responders who are suing the city of Gainesville over its vaccine mandate. City officials have given employees until Sept. 30 to get vaccinated or face losing their jobs. ...
Critics of DeSantis highlight Florida’s summer rise in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths and say the governor's fight to stop mask mandates in schools has led to the spread of the disease and the deaths of some children and teachers who contracted the virus. ...
