Louisiana Department of Health pulls back on vaccine messaging, employees say [Video]

LOUISIANA, USA — In an article published to NPR.org Friday morning, four Louisiana Department of Health employees recount meetings this fall, in which they claim higher-ups told them to stop encouraging people to get certain vaccines.

“There can’t be social media, there can’t be vaccine events, there can’t be press releases,” the reporter, Rosemary Westwood, told WWL Louisiana. The alleged new policy applies to COVID-19, flu, and Mpox vaccines.

The employees told Westwood it was not issued in writing, which means “it’s more difficult to understand what the limits are and how far this policy extends, and what they can and can’t do,” she said. 

The employees were kept anonymous for “fear of losing their jobs,” said Westwood.

In response to the article, the LDH released the following statement to NPR then later to WWL Louisiana. It …