'Dead right': Florida resident’s letter to the editor brutally mocks DeSantis’ new Surgeon General

Florida residents are deeply criticizing the state's new surgeon general Dr. Joseph Ladapo for his deadly, anti-scientific advice on COVID-19. In a letter to The Tampa Bay Times with the title, "Dead Right," Charles Chamberlain, an 81-year-old Florida resident, delivered a stinging rebuke of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' newly appointed official.

Chamberlain pushed back against Ladapo's recent remarks seeming to dismiss the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine.

He's "spot on," Chamberlain wrote.

"I am aware that he is correct because of a recent experience with a member of my family," Chamberlain added. "He had a severe infection from COVID-19. He is past that now, and is completely immune — not only from COVID-19, but flu and other respiratory infections as well."

Chamberlain added a verbal jab as he offered clarity about his family member's condition. He wrote, "Of course, we are burying this family member next write,

Chamberlain's letter follows numerous remarks that Ladapo has made discrediting science, mask-wearing, lockdowns and the COVID-19 vaccine. Ladapo has even downplayed the importance of quarantining after COVID exposure. According to HuffPost, last week, he said, "that students don't have to quarantine and can continue going to school if they've been exposed to COVID-19. He is also leaving it up to parents on whether their children wear masks at school."

In response to Ladapo's claim about COVID-19 and immunity, Chamberlain noted the one problem with that. "Well yeah, that's a way of curing people, but the problem is fatalities," he wrote.

Shortly after The Tampa Bay Times published Chamberlain's letter it began circulating on social media prompting more criticism of Ladapo.

One Twitter user wrote, "Harsh, sadly accurate. Hope it makes some people think(?) The abstinence-only crowd does seem to be moving to a death-only option for covid, tragically. No longer better dead than red, now it's better dead than vaccinate."

Given the tone of the letter, Chamberlain appeared surprised that it was published. "I thought it was pretty snarky," he said.