School vaccine mandates may go away in Southern state, surgeon general announces

Florida's Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo has announced the Sunshine State is working to end all vaccine mandates.

In a joint press conference on Wednesday with Gov. Ron DeSantis, Ladapo said the Florida Department of Health (FDH), in conjunction with the governor's office, will end "every last one" of the vaccine mandates for schoolchildren under Florida law. 

"Every last one of them is wrong and drips with disdain and slavery," said Ladapo. "Who am I, as a government or anyone else, to tell you what you should put in your body? I don't have that right. Your body is a gift from God."

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DeSantis stressed that informed consent is essential, stating that "information given to individuals, where they can then make an informed decision, should be the bedrock of how we function in health and in medicine."

Eight vaccinations are currently required for children attending childcare, preschool and K-12 schools in Florida, according to FDH.

For childcare facilities and preschools, diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis (DTaP); IPV (polio); measles, mumps and rubella (MMR); varicella; Hib; pneumococcal conjugate; and hepatitis B shots are required.

DTaP (4-5 doses), IPV (4-5 doses), MMR (2 doses), hepatitis B (3 doses) and varicella (2 doses or prior infection) are required for K-12 students. In seventh grade, students must also get a dose of Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis).

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Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel told Fox News Digital that mandates don't work for some vaccines - specifically when a virus or other pathogens spread despite the immunization.

"For vaccines that prevent transmission, such as with measles, mumps, rubella, varicella or polio - and where the virus itself carries the possibilities of severe outcomes - then school mandates make sense, since these viruses spread among schoolchildren," he said.

In the example of measles, Siegel said, "the only way to achieve herd immunity is through vaccination, where the spread is stopped."

He added, "Those who can't get that vaccine because they are immunocompromised (if it is a live virus vaccine, they can't have it) are protected by those around them."

Creating a community of immunity around highly contagious viruses through the use of vaccines is "responsible public health," Siegel added.

While Florida would be the first to implement a state-wide vaccine ban, other states have proposed or passed similar legislation. 

During the 2024-2025 school season, vaccinations among kindergartners decreased for all reported vaccines from the year before, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Vaccine exemptions from one or more vaccines among kindergartners increased to 3.6% from 3.3%.

Dr. Susan Kressly, the president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, emphasized the importance of childhood vaccines in a statement. "We are concerned that today's announcement by Gov. DeSantis will put children in Florida public schools at higher risk for getting sick, and have ripple effects across their community," Kressly said.

All those with questions about vaccinations should consult with their doctor.