Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis is casually admitting he allowed between 800,000 and one million COVID-19 rapid tests expire amid an exponential increase in coronavirus cases, as he and his administration downplay the importance of testing. Experts says testing is essential to help stop the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
“Yeah,” DeSantis told a reporter who asked the GOP governor if it was true he had allowed the tests to expire. COVID-19 rapid tests are in high demand across the country as many Americans line up, literally for miles, to find out their health status.
“News of the expiring tests first came from Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, a Democratic gubernatorial candidate,” Florida Politics reports. “On Dec. 30, as part of her attacks on DeSantis’ COVID-19 response during the latest case surge, Fried announced that she had learned of expiring tests.”
The news also comes as DeSantis’ highly-controversial surgeon general, an anti-vaxxer and hydroxychloroquine promoter, this week told Floridians who are asymptomatic, “don’t get tested.”
“If you don’t have symptoms, you’re not a case,” Ladapo said, falsely.
Dr. Joseph Ladapo has appeared in a video with the “demon sperm” doctor promoting the use of horse dewormer and lice treatment Ivermectin to treat COVID-19. Ivermectin has not been approved for use to battle the deadly coronavirus, as studies have not shown it works.
DeSantis was reportedly “missing in action” the last two weeks of last year, later claiming through his spokesperson to be taking care of his wife fighting cancer. Several critics on Wednesday noted he appeared “very unwell” during his press conference.
Watch DeSantis: