/tags/scott-rivkees Scott Rivkees en-US SAąúĽĘ´«Ä± Wed, 17 Sep 2025 13:52:22 GMT /health/2025-09-17/former-florida-surgeon-general-speaks-out-against-plan-to-lift-vaccine-mandates Dr. Scott Rivkees, a pediatrician who served as surgeon general from 2019 to 2021 during the COVID pandemic, says the state is going backward when it comes to childhood vaccines. Wed, 17 Sep 2025 13:52:22 GMT /health/2025-09-17/former-florida-surgeon-general-speaks-out-against-plan-to-lift-vaccine-mandates Kerry Sheridan /news/2022-05-06/a-column-by-floridas-former-surgeon-general-contradicts-the-states-vaccine-guidance-for-minors Dr. Scott Rivkees contradicts much of the evidence given by Florida’s health department in recommending that healthy children need not be vaccinated for COVID-19. Fri, 06 May 2022 14:32:56 GMT /news/2022-05-06/a-column-by-floridas-former-surgeon-general-contradicts-the-states-vaccine-guidance-for-minors Katrine Bruner /news/2021-08-27/replacing-florida-surgeon-general-rivkees-may-be-difficult Scott Rivkees announced he will leave his post as surgeon general and secretary of the Florida Department of Health next month. But the move comes amid a surge of COVID-19 cases and deaths. Combine that with Gov. Ron DeSantis’ antagonism to federal health authorities and mask mandates, and it might make it difficult to find a replacement. Fri, 27 Aug 2021 17:02:48 GMT /news/2021-08-27/replacing-florida-surgeon-general-rivkees-may-be-difficult Christine Sexton / News Service of Florida /news/2021-01-19/florida-surgeon-general-rivkees-says-state-vaccine-is-supply-limited Surgeon General Scott Rivkees said in the statewide phone call that he does not know when additional “first doses” of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines will be sent to the state or how many doses would be in a potential future delivery. Tue, 19 Jan 2021 22:56:10 GMT /news/2021-01-19/florida-surgeon-general-rivkees-says-state-vaccine-is-supply-limited Christine Sexton / News Service of Florida