Florida’s state government has announced plans to eliminate all vaccine mandates, including those required for schoolchildren.
State Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo revealed the decision at an event on Wednesday, calling current vaccination requirements “immoral” and saying that individuals should have the right to make their own health decisions without government interference.
Ladapo emphasized that the goal is to remove “every last one” of the mandates, though he did not provide a detailed timeline.
Some changes can be implemented directly by the state Health Department, while others will require approval from the Florida Legislature.
He did not specify which vaccines would be affected.
Currently, Florida students are required to be vaccinated against diseases such as chickenpox, measles, and polio.
Critics warn that eliminating these mandates could spark outbreaks of preventable illnesses.
Democratic State Representative Anna Eskamani described the move as “reckless and dangerous,” calling it a “public health disaster in the making.”
The American Medical Association (AMA) also expressed concern. Trustee Dr. Sandra Adamson Fryhofer urged Florida to reconsider, warning that removing mandates could increase the risk of infectious disease outbreaks that threaten public health.
Florida’s policy shift aligns with broader changes in the U.S. vaccine landscape influenced by figures from the Trump-era administration.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a known vaccine skeptic, has implemented several modifications to federal vaccine policy, including limiting COVID-19 shot eligibility.
Public health experts caution that rolling back mandates could undermine vaccination coverage, reduce herd immunity, and lead to the reemergence of diseases largely controlled in recent decades.
Advocates for vaccine choice argue for personal autonomy, while medical authorities emphasize community protection as a critical factor in preventing
epidemics.