Parents in Florida will soon have full control over whether their children receive school-required vaccines, as state officials move to remove all mandates that have been in place for decades.
Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo announced the decision Wednesday, calling existing requirements “wrong” and comparing them to “slavery.”
He confirmed that the Florida Department of Health, alongside Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), will work to repeal all vaccine mandates.
“Who am I to tell you what your child should put in their body? I don’t have that right,” Ladapo said during a press conference in Valrico, Hillsborough County.
He framed vaccination as a personal and family decision and emphasized support for parents who choose to decline vaccines.
Currently, Florida law mandates children receive immunizations for measles, mumps, rubella, polio, tetanus, chickenpox and Hepatitis B.
Until now, exemptions were allowed only for medical or religious reasons. With this change, Florida becomes the first state in the nation to fully eliminate school vaccine mandates.
Ladapo highlighted that lawmakers will “have to choose a side,” adding a personal note to those declining vaccines: “God bless you.”
He stated the Department of Health will act under its authority, while DeSantis and the state Legislature are expected to repeal remaining statutory mandates.
The announcement coincides with the creation of a Florida chapter of the federal “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) initiative, led by First Lady Casey DeSantis.
MAHA, under HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., focuses on chronic disease prevention and exploring systemic reforms in U.S. health policies.
Casey DeSantis praised the initiative, noting that many conditions can be prevented or reversed through healthy lifestyle choices, the Daily Mail reports.
Public health experts expressed concern over the policy shift.
Dr. Susan J. Kressly, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, warned, “When everyone in a school is vaccinated, it’s harder for diseases to spread, and easier for everyone to keep the fun and learning going.”
She cautioned that Florida’s decision could increase outbreak risks and have broader impacts on communities, according to Herald-Tribune.
Vaccination coverage in Florida shows gaps relative to herd immunity thresholds.
Only 88 percent of children have completed all five doses of the TDAP vaccine, which prevents tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis, while herd immunity requires 92–94 percent.
Measles vaccination among kindergarteners is similarly below the recommended 95 percent, at 88 percent.
Florida’s move follows Idaho’s lead, which previously banned vaccine mandates for public and private entities under its Medical Freedom Act.
The decision also reflects DeSantis’ prior calls for the CDC to end COVID-19 mRNA vaccine recommendations for children, emphasizing parental authority and state-level health autonomy.
DeSantis criticized pediatricians who refuse to see patients whose parents decline vaccinations, saying, “Unless there’s a really clear reason to put something in, then I wouldn’t do it.”
He reiterated opposition to federal COVID-19 mandates and mask policies, highlighting Florida’s efforts to keep schools and businesses open during the pandemic.
Experts caution that removing vaccine mandates could heighten disease outbreak risks.
Florida has seen pertussis and measles cases rise, reporting 715 whooping cough cases in 2024—up from 85 the previous year—and nine confirmed measles infections in Miami-Dade County.
As Florida prepares to implement the policy, parents and public health officials alike are watching closely to see how this unprecedented decision will affect children and communities statewide.
