FLORIDA– Florida announced Wednesday that it plans to eliminate all state vaccine mandates, including those for schoolchildren, becoming the first state in the nation to take such a step.
State Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo said during a press conference that existing vaccine requirements in schools undermine parents’ ability to make health decisions for their children.
The proposal would roll back decades-old policies widely credited with boosting immunization rates and reducing the spread of infectious diseases, according to Xinhua.
The announcement drew swift condemnation from health experts and lawmakers.
“Ending vaccine mandates is reckless and dangerous,” Democratic Representative Anna Eskamani wrote on X, warning it could trigger outbreaks of preventable illnesses. “This is a public health disaster in the making for the Sunshine State.”
Florida Senate Democratic leader Lori Berman noted that the state already allows broad medical and religious exemptions, calling the move “ridiculous.” “Any family that has a sincere opposition to vaccination can opt out,” she said.
Medical experts also expressed alarm. “We can expect that measles will come roaring back,” said Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, in comments to The Washington Post. “Other infectious diseases will follow. This is an unprecedented move that will only put our children at unnecessary risk.” (Source: IANS)
