Governor Edwards and Louisiana Dept of Health Use Tragic Milestone to Pander to Pharma

Louisianans should be outraged.

On Friday, September 23, 2022, our state hit a tragic milestone. According to the Louisiana Department of Health, 18,000 Louisianans have now perished from covid.

Governor John Bel Edwards and the talking heads at LDH, Dr. Courtney Phillips and Dr. Joe Kanter, took the opportunity to turn this tragic milestone into an ad for the newest covid vaccine on the market, the bivalent booster.

Louisiana Department of Health @LADeptHealth

As LA officially surpasses 18K lives lost to #COVID19, @LouisianaGov, LDH Secretary Dr. Courtney N. Phillips & State Health Officer @JoeKanter urge the public to stay up to date on their vaccines, including getting the new #BivalentBooster, to stay safe & protect progress made.

Gov. John Bel Edwards @LouisianaGov

Today we mark a sobering milestone in Louisiana as we recognize the more than 18,000 loved ones from every corner of this state who are no longer with us because of COVID-19. My prayers are with the grieving families and communities forever altered by this pandemic. #lagov

Louisiana Department of Health @LADeptHealth

As LA officially surpasses 18K lives lost to #COVID19, @LouisianaGov, LDH Secretary Dr. Courtney N. Phillips & State Health Officer @JoeKanter urge the public to stay up to date on their vaccines, including getting the new #BivalentBooster, to stay safe & protect progress made. https://t.co/VmGSChygT3

Gov. John Bel Edwards @LouisianaGov

Staying up to date on our vaccines, including taking the new bivalent COVID-19 booster when you are eligible, is the best way to stay safe, protect the progress we have made and ensure there are brighter days ahead. #lagov

These people have no shame.

In case you missed it, LDH removed the “unvaccinated” demographic from the covid deaths on their coronavirus dashboard when it became apparent that more vaccinated people were dying of covid than unvaccinated. How do they explain that?

A reminder for those that may not be aware: the latest booster dose variation was granted Emergency Use Authorization without undergoing human clinical trials. Instead, the FDA and CDC relied on data from a study that included only eight mice. Tablet columnist Alex Gutentag noted:

One recent analysis of adverse event data found that for every 22,000 to 30,000 previously uninfected adults ages 18-29 who get boosted, there will be only one COVID hospitalization prevented. Meanwhile, 18 to 98 serious adverse events will occur. Allowing vaccine manufacturers to forgo clinical trials is thus a negligent betrayal of consumers and taxpayers who continue to trust and rely on the FDA’s stamp of approval.

LDH and Governor Edwards’ social media statement that these boosters are “the best way to stay safe, [and] protect the progress we have made” is not supported by data from a clinical trial or any historical data from previous covid vaccines. It is at best complete conjecture.

Neither Pfizer nor Moderna could legally make that claim.