Report: Nevada’s Elko County Considering Moratorium on Coronavirus and Flu Vaccines

Nevada’s Elko County is considering a moratorium on vaccines for the Chinese coronavirus and flu as Florida’s Supreme Court impanelled a statewide grand jury tasked with investigating any “wrongdoing” related to the coronavirus vaccines. The latter move followed Gov. Ron DeSantis’s (R) request, although one Elko County Board of Health commissioner believes those items were mistakenly placed on the board’s agenda. 

According to reports, the Elko County Board of Health is slated to considering a pause on the vaccines, as well as pausing vaccine advertisements until it has more information from the “results of the Florida Supreme Court case to investigate the wrong doing related to COVID-19 vaccines.”

However, Jon Karr, an Elko County Board of Health commissioner, believes those items were mistakenly placed in the agenda due to what the Las Vegas Review-Journal described as a “miscommunication.” Further, Karr said legal has notified commissioners they “don’t have the authority to issue a moratorium.”

“I believe it’s just a miscommunication, and I’m hoping it gets tabled indefinitely,” he added, emphasizing that individuals should make the decision on vaccines—  “not some rural commissioners who have more insight.”

“We do not regulate or have any direct oversight of the health care industry,” fellow commissioner Delmo Andreozzi said, echoing Karr’s sentiments. 

“It is my own personal belief that an individual’s health care decisions should only be made in consultation with that individual’s own medical provider for ANY and ALL health care matters,” Andreozzi added. 

The confusion follows DeSantis’s December announcement, requesting the Supreme Court of Florida to “impanel a statewide grand jury to investigate any and all wrongdoing in Florida with respect to the COVID-19 vaccines.” He made the announcement during a “Public Health Integrity Committee” roundtable discussion in December, and the court ultimately approved the request. Hillsborough County Circuit Judge Ronald Ficarrotta is presiding over it.

The initial announcement follows the Florida governor’s warning that his administration would “hold these manufacturers accountable” for any misleading claims.