Florida’s Surgeon General Proposes Repeal of All Childhood Vaccine Mandates

TAMPA, Florida — Florida’s Surgeon General, Joseph Ladapo, announced Wednesday that he plans to repeal all state vaccine requirements for children. During a press conference hosted by Governor Ron DeSantis, Ladapo drew strong comparisons between vaccine mandates and slavery.

Ladapo, a long-time vaccine skeptic, emphasized that children would no longer be required to receive vaccines for preventable diseases, which include measles, mumps, chickenpox, polio, and hepatitis. He stated, “Every last one of them is wrong and drips with disdain and slavery,” reflecting his ongoing skepticism towards vaccination.

He further argued that individuals should have the right to make their own health decisions without government intrusion. “What you put into your body is because of your relationship with your body and your God,” Ladapo added, condemning past COVID-19 vaccine mandates and lockdown measures as oppressive.

Currently, Florida has strict immunization requirements for children before they can enroll in public schools. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), routine childhood vaccinations have historically prevented an estimated 508 million cases of illness, 32 million hospitalizations, and 1.13 million deaths among children in the U.S. from 1994 to 2023.

Ladapo did not provide specific details or a timeline regarding the repeal, noting that he would work with lawmakers and the DeSantis administration for its implementation. He said, “People are going to have to choose a side,” referring to the upcoming decisions regarding vaccine mandates.

Dorit Reiss, a law professor at the University of California College of the Law in San Francisco, commented that if Florida proceeds with the repeal, it would be the first state to do so in recent history. She cautioned that this decision could have serious public health implications, highlighting the effectiveness of school vaccination mandates in reducing outbreaks.

The Florida Department of Health has been contacted for further comment regarding this proposed change. Melody Schreiber contributed to this report.