Lee Health CEO pushes back against vaccine misinformation, says ‘Let me show you the ICU’

A top leader in health care in our community says he’s battling COVID-19 both in the ICU and online.

About 50% of Floridian’s total population is vaccinated, and in Lee County, it’s slightly less.

“I rack my brain daily; what am I missing?” laments Dr. Larry Antonucci, president and CEO of Lee Health.

Antonucci said misinformation about the vaccines is showing up on his own Twitter feed.

Dr. Jordan Taillon is a pulmonologist and critical care specialist. He says that before COVID-19 patients in the ICU close their eyes to die, “You’re starting to hear people reflect on this, that they didn’t think they could be in this position.”

Every morning, Antonucci opens his phone to read how many more Southwest Floridians are in his hospitals. “And every day, I wake up with the hope that it’s gonna be less than the day before, and I haven’t had that yet.”

Antonucci also says he reads lots and lots of misinformation.

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