{"id":14697,"date":"2021-09-04T03:15:24","date_gmt":"2021-09-04T07:15:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/?p=14697"},"modified":"2021-09-04T03:15:31","modified_gmt":"2021-09-04T07:15:31","slug":"polk-co-commissioner-drafts-letter-asking-gov-desantis-to-make-ivermectin-widely-available","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/2021\/09\/04\/polk-co-commissioner-drafts-letter-asking-gov-desantis-to-make-ivermectin-widely-available\/","title":{"rendered":"Polk Co. commissioner drafts letter asking Gov. DeSantis to make ivermectin widely available"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Polk County commissioners are set to vote Tuesday on whether or not to send a letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis that would ask him to make drugs, such as ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine, widely available to residents in hopes of providing what one commissioner calls possible live-saving therapeutics against COVID-19.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow aligncenter\" data-autoplay=\"true\" data-delay=\"3\" data-effect=\"fade\"><div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_container swiper-container\"><ul class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_swiper-wrapper swiper-wrapper\"><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"310\" height=\"162\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-14699\" data-id=\"14699\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/ivermectin.jpg?resize=310%2C162&#038;ssl=1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/ivermectin.jpg?w=310&amp;ssl=1 310w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/ivermectin.jpg?resize=300%2C157&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 310px) 100vw, 310px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-14700\" data-id=\"14700\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/hydroxychloroquine.jpg?resize=300%2C168&#038;ssl=1\"\/><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><a class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-prev swiper-button-prev swiper-button-white\" role=\"button\"><\/a><a class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-next swiper-button-next swiper-button-white\" role=\"button\"><\/a><a aria-label=\"Pause Slideshow\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-pause\" role=\"button\"><\/a><div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_pagination swiper-pagination swiper-pagination-white\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"160\" height=\"207\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1110px) 100vw, 1110px\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/neil-combee.jpg?resize=160%2C207&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-14698\"\/><figcaption> Commissioner Neil Combee <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The letter was written by Commissioner Neil Combee, Friday afternoon. It states, in part, \u201cWe are hearing from many of our citizens that larger hospital chains and some pharmacies are refusing to prescribe safe and effective therapeutics like hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin\u2026 When a citizen is facing a potentially life-threatening case of COVID-19, he or she should receive the \u2018right to try\u2019 potentially life-saving therapeutics.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The letter refers to ivermectin as a \u201cwonder drug\u201d and says without readily available access to alternative treatments, \u201cpatients are literally being left to die.\u201d It also praises the governor for setting up monoclonal antibody testing centers as it \u201cis literally saving lives.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"160\" height=\"207\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1110px) 100vw, 1110px\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/110618-jm-braswell-headshot-01.jpg?resize=160%2C207&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-14701\"\/><figcaption> Commissioner Bill Braswell  <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Commissioner Bill Braswell said he is in support of Combee\u2019s letter. Braswell told us he took ivermectin, the prescription for humans, for nine months until he got vaccinated in March.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Federal and Tampa Bay health officials have warned, however, that treatments such as ivermectin are not approved for COVID-19 patients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dr. Alfred Aleguas, the managing director of Florida Poison Information Center&nbsp;in Tampa, told us neither form of ivermectin is a proven treatment for COVID-19.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201dIt\u2019s not going to be effective. It\u2019s not intended to be effective. It won\u2019t prevent or help you with your symptoms,\u201d&nbsp;Aleguas said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Polk County Commissioner George Lindsey told us he plans to vote against sending the letter to Gov. DeSantis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"160\" height=\"207\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1110px) 100vw, 1110px\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/100918-jm-george-lindsey-headshot-01.jpg?resize=160%2C207&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-14702\"\/><figcaption> Commissioner George Lindsey <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIf they want to do that individually to the governor that\u2019s fine,\u201d he said Friday night. \u201cBut I didn\u2019t think it\u2019s appropriate to use the county commission platform for that message.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Commissioner Lindsey added, \u201cthere\u2019s already enough confusion on this whole issue and this doesn\u2019t shed light on the subject it clouds the subject.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a county hit hard by the delta variant surge, Commissioner Lindsey said he is encouraged health department data shows an improving vaccination rate. The latest weekly state report said 61% of eligible Polk County residents 12 years and older have received at least one dose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMy message is to consult with your physician and get the vaccine,\u201d Lindsey said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1110px) 100vw, 1110px\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Nikki_Fried-2020.jpg?resize=168%2C225&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-14703\" width=\"168\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Nikki_Fried-2020.jpg?w=640&amp;ssl=1 640w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Nikki_Fried-2020.jpg?resize=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1 225w\" \/><figcaption> Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The drug typically meant for treating and preventing parasites in animals, is not an anti-viral medication and has caused people across the nation to be hospitalized after self-treatment,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.fda.gov\/consumers\/consumer-updates\/why-you-should-not-use-ivermectin-treat-or-prevent-covid-19\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">according to the Federal Drug Administration<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried&nbsp;also warned about the drug after a recent spike in poisonings reported across the state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe promotion of inappropriate use of this drug is irresponsible, reckless, and dangerous,\u201d&nbsp;Fried said.&nbsp;\u201cThere is no public health or scientific support for its use to treat or prevent COVID-19, and there are serious safety concerns when it comes to self-medicating and humans using medications intended for animals. Individuals should look to their medical doctors when it comes to medical treatments \u2013 not online quacks.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Polk County commissioners are set to vote Tuesday on whether or not to send a letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis that would ask him to make drugs, such as ivermectin&hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":14699,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_robots_follow":"","_seopress_robots_imageindex":"","_seopress_robots_snippet":"","_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"0","_seopress_robots_breadcrumbs":"","_seopress_robots_freeze_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_custom_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_canonical":"","_seopress_social_fb_title":"","_seopress_social_fb_desc":"","_seopress_social_fb_img":"","_seopress_social_fb_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_height":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_title":"","_seopress_social_twitter_desc":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_height":0,"_seopress_redirections_value":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled_regex":"","_seopress_redirections_logged_status":"","_seopress_redirections_param":"","_seopress_redirections_type":0,"_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"wpai_generated_summary":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"dois","default_image_id":71799,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false},"categories":[12,14],"tags":[1129],"class_list":["post-14697","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-local","category-news","tag-polk-co-commissioner-drafts-letter-asking-gov-desantis-to-make-ivermectin-widely-available"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14697","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14697"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14697\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14699"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14697"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14697"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14697"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}