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The Brevard County Commission on Tuesday rejected a recommendation from Commissioner John Tobia to ask the county’s first responders to get vaccinated against COVID-19, according to News 6 partner. Florida today.
Tobia announced the proposal last week, citing an email from Brevard County Health Director Maria Stahl, in which Stahl noted that unvaccinated emergency medical technicians responding to the virus call could sent to a patient, “which could cause the death of a resident. ”
The resolution would have required Brevard County firefighters, paramedics and emergency medical technicians who have direct contact with the public to get the vaccine as a condition of employment, except for some required by law.
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“This is a simple policy that looks after the welfare of the citizens of Brevard County,” Tobia said at a meeting of the County Commission on Tuesday.
The proposal was never moved after the other commissioners announced they would vote against it.
“I did not support a mandatory mask. I am not going to support compulsory vaccination, but I will get your point, ”Commission Chair Rita Pritchett told Tobia.
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Commissioner Bryan Lober said he was “not even going to consider” supporting the proposal before there is clear evidence that the vaccine is preventing the spread of the virus.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said that while the vaccines are effective in preventing illness, the research is on whether they prevent someone from getting and spreading. the mixed virus.
“The bottom line is, I’m not going to insert a needle into someone’s arm without an amazing position, and we’re not even getting close to that,” Lober said.
Commissioner Curt Smith echoed Lober’s comments, saying workers should not have to get the vaccine if they don’t want it.
“I would encourage them to. I think it’s a sensible thing to do, ”said Smith. “But it’s their choice, not ours.”
The news of Tobia’s proposal drew concern and harassment last week from some local firefighters and their supporters, including the Brevard County Professional Firefighters union. The county and the union are currently involved in contract negotiations.
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At Tuesday’s meeting, Tobia addressed Union President Michael Bramson with sharp questions about firefighters wearing masks, COVID-19 death rates and a position statement from the national firefighters’ union demanding priority vaccination access.
“Maria Stahl has said that the vaccine will not kill residents you are responsible for protecting. Does that bother you? Yes or no? Tobia said.
“I have no legal advice here, and I refuse to answer those questions,” Bramson told the board.
Tobia accepted the frequent comparison at the meeting between his vaccination order and a nationwide mask command, recommended by Lober last summer.
Tobia opposed the universal mascara mandate, but supported a later proposal to ask businesses receiving Coronavirus Support, Relief and Economic Security Act funding to request masks. The latter was not given a vote.
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“One is a command of a private citizen, one is a condition of employment for a county worker. The two are not the same, ”Tobia told Florida today.
“I have union firefighters who are claiming an increase of up to 30%,” he said. “At the same time, they are not willing to be careful to pay the people they expect to pay more taxes to fund that construction.”
Commission honors Dave Berman at FLORIDA TODAY
In other news, the County Commission voted 5-0 for a resolution to recognize Florida Today longtime reporter Dave Berman for the honesty and fairness of his tenure covering a county government for the newspaper.
“Dave was always fair in his coverage. When I did dumb things, he called me out for him. When I did things that were smart, he praised me for it, and that’s the way it should be, ”said Lober.
The move was a more dangerous opposition to a resolution earlier this month mocking Isadora Rangel, a Florida Today opinion columnist, a move that drew scrutiny and attention from the national media.
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Rangel, as part of her job, had often criticized the board before taking a job at the Miami Herald in early February.
“I just wanted to make sure the world knows… we’re not against the media, we were just ‘anti’ that one person in particular,” said Smith. “Mr. Berman has been very honest and, and for me, that is the key for someone who is in that business. “