As previously reported by AFN, Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo says his state will work to eliminate all childhood vaccine mandates.
"It's a wonderful idea for Florida to move to eliminate all the vaccine mandates because of course the government should not be in the business of mandating that certain things be put into certain arms," said Twila Brase, R.N., and president/co-founder of Citizens' Council for Health Freedom.
Governor Ron DeSantis said that the state Department of Health can end vaccine mandates not written into state law, but any others will require action by the Legislature.
DeSantis acknowledged that neither he nor Ladapo has spoken with state lawmakers about pursuing those changes.
But the state’s effort is to get rid of mandates, not the vaccines themselves.
State statutes currently require school children to get immunized against seven illnesses: polio, diphtheria, measles, whooping cough, mumps and tetanus, Axios reported.
During a speech in Florida, Ladapo said vaccines will still be available. It's just that now it is by choice and not by force.
"People have a right to make their own decisions, informed decisions," said Ladapo, M.D., Ph.D.
Critics of the move think it will be harmful to children and people in general. For example, Dr. Rana Alissa, president of the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said in a statement published on CNN.com that her organization is "concerned that today's announcement will put children in Florida public schools at higher risk for getting sick," something Alissa warned will have a ripple effect across communities.
"The government should not be in the business of requiring children to be injected, no matter what their parents think, or no matter what might be good for them, or even if the parents would decide to wait," added Brase. "That's just not the business of government, so eliminating all of the childhood (mandates) … that is a great idea."
