A doctor in South Florida will now refuse to treat any patient that has not been vaccinated against COVID-19.
Lina Marraccini, a primary care doctor in Miami, is now the second physician to make this decision.
“This is a public health emergency,” she wrote in a letter, “the health of the public takes priority over the rights of any given individual in this situation.”
“It appears that there is a lack of selflessness and concern for the burden on the health and well-being of our society from our encounters.”
Marraccini said her refusal to treat unvaccinated patients is a result of the FDA’s approval of the Pfizer vaccine. Beginning September 14, she will no longer treat patients if they haven’t received their first shot.
“If any of our patients have a valid medical reason for not having the vaccine or have their first shot by September 15, please let us know,” she wrote.
Patients will have one month to find another provider if they choose to do so, during which her office will continue to provide virtual appointments for unvaccinated patients, Fox News reports.
Similarly, Alabama Dr. Jason Valentine announced in August that he will no longer treat unvaccinated patients beginning October 1.
“We do not yet have any great treatments for severe disease, but we do have great prevention with vaccines,” Valentine wrote in his letter to patients. “Unfortunately, many have declined to take the vaccine, and some end up severely ill or dead. I cannot and will not force anyone to take the vaccine, but I also cannot continue to watch my patients suffer and die from an eminently preventable disease.”
