Local health officials face challenges from politicization in Louisiana

Five years after the pandemic, local health officials face new challenges due to the politicization of public health. In Louisiana, seasonal flu cases are at a 15-year high, and vaccine exemptions among schoolchildren have doubled. Dr. Jennifer Avegno, head of the New Orleans Health Department, previously worked to control Covid infections and promote vaccines. However, Governor Jeff Landry has shifted the state's public health approach since taking office last year. Landry appointed Dr. Ralph Abraham as state surgeon general, who opposes mass vaccination efforts. He recently stated that Louisiana will stop promoting mass vaccination, viewing past efforts as an infringement on personal autonomy.