Missouri's war on public health shows extent of national rift: 'A dark age of politics has begun'...

Over half of states have rolled back public health powers during the pandemic, which experts say permanently weakens states’ abilities to protect their constituents’ health.
Republican Missouri state Sen. Mike Moon believes that COVID-19 vaccinations, especially among children, should cease until the long-term effects are known. He points to the research of sources of COVID misinformation like America’s Frontline Doctors and Dr. Robert Malone, a guest on Joe Rogan’s podcast. He himself is not vaccinated.

So, on Feb. 1, he and other senators tanked the nomination of Donald Kauerauf to become the state’s next health director. Kauerauf had held the office in an interim capacity since September and professed on the record that he was anti-abortion and anti-mandate for masks and vaccinations, all while being nominated by a Republican governor who is also anti-mandate. But it wasn’t enough for Moon.