Florida plans to end all state vaccine mandates

Florida is moving to phase out all childhood vaccine mandates, expanding Governor Ron DeSantis’ push to roll back health requirements that gained prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic.

At a press event in Valrico, state Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo called existing vaccine mandates an “immoral” intrusion on personal rights and said they undermine parents’ ability to make medical decisions for their children. “People have a right to make their own decisions, informed decisions,” Ladapo said. “They don’t have the right to tell you what to put in your body. Take it away from them.” He added that while some mandates can be eliminated by the state health department, others will require legislative action, but the ultimate goal is to end “all of them. Every last one of them.”

Currently, Florida law requires vaccinations for children in public schools and day care facilities against illnesses including measles, chickenpox, hepatitis B, polio, and DTaP. If fully eliminated, Florida would be the first state to remove such a broad slate of mandates.

DeSantis also announced the creation of a “Make America Healthy Again” commission, designed to promote informed consent in medical decisions, expand parental rights, and encourage healthier diets while challenging what he described as “medical orthodoxy not supported by data.” The commission will be chaired by Lt. Gov. Jay Collins and Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis.

The moves follow the governor’s earlier efforts to block COVID-19 vaccine mandates, vaccine passports, school closures, and workplace requirements. “I don’t think there’s another state that’s done as much as Florida. We want to stay ahead of the curve,” DeSantis said.