Orange County health officer Dr. Raul Pino on leave, under state inquiry involving vaccines

ORLANDO, Fla. – Dr. Raul Pino, the director of the Florida Department of Wellness in Orange County who has been so visible in the course of the pandemic, is on administrative leave pending an inquiry, the Florida Department of Wellbeing confirmed to News 6 Tuesday.

“As the selection to get vaccinated is a own healthcare choice that should be designed cost-free from coercion and mandates from employers, the personnel in problem (Pino) has been put on administrative leave, and the Florida Division of Wellbeing is conducting an inquiry to figure out if any laws have been broken in this situation,” FDOH push secretary Jeremy Redfern mentioned in a assertion.

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“The Department is committed to upholding all regulations, like the ban on vaccine mandates for authorities workforce and will acquire acceptable motion as soon as extra details is regarded,” the assertion added.

The wellness office did not give any aspects into what led to the determination.

Information 6 reached out to the point out in reference to an e mail Pino allegedly despatched to division staff encouraging workforce to get a COVID-19 vaccine.

Christina Pushaw, Gov. Ron DeSantis’ spokeswoman, despatched Information 6 a copy of the e mail Wednesday which she reported she acquired from Redfern.

“I have a difficult time understanding how can we be in general public health and fitness and not follow it! The motives can be several, but so many of us?” the email stated.

In the e mail, “vaccination data” for 568 division staff members in Orange County returned with only 219 two-shot and 77 booster recipients on history, as properly as a scathing rebuke of the minimal quantities.

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“I am sorry, but at this place in the absence of affordable and real causes, it is irresponsible no to be vaccinated,” the electronic mail explained. “We have been at this for two many years, we were the to start with to give vaccines to the masses, we have carried out a lot more than 300,000 (OC DOH) and we are not even at 50{f8f9f7e6fa72495c30ab254213729fbbad6cff923a9c63d260c5c902274d4d9d}, pathetic.”

As the wellness officer for the Florida Department of Wellness in Orange County, Pino has been entrance and center in furnishing the most recent updates on COVID-19 and vocal on the will need to adhere to COVID-19 protocols and get the local community vaccinated.

Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings launched a statement Wednesday afternoon.

Pino has been with the Florida Department of Health and fitness in Orange County since Might 2019.

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