Orange County health official Dr. Raul Pino placed on administrative leave

A high-profile official with the Florida Department of Health in Orange County has been placed on administrative leave by the state.

Dr. Raul Pino was appointed Director of the Florida Department of Health in Orange County in May 2019 and has been outspoken about the need to practice strict COVID-19 safety measures and the importance of vaccines in the fight against the coronavirus.

FOX 35 News reached out to the Florida Department of Health for more information.

"As the decision to get vaccinated is a personal medical choice that should be made free from coercion and mandates from employers, the employee in question has been placed on administrative leave, and the Florida Department of Health is conducting an inquiry to determine if any laws were broken in this case," said DOH spokesman Jermey Redfern. "The Department is committed to upholding all laws, including the ban on vaccine mandates for government employees and will take appropriate action once additional information is known."

No other details were immediately released.   

According to the DOH website, Dr. Pino graduated from the University of Havana with a Doctorate in Medicine and the University of Connecticut School of Medicine with Master of Public Health degree.

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