Florida plans to end vaccine mandates for schoolchildren; experts warn of outbreaks | Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo says Florida will drop all vaccination requirements. Experts warn measles, polio, and other diseases could return.
https://interestingengineering.com/health/florida-schoolchildren-vaccine-mandates-outbreak-risk
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From the article: Florida plans to eliminate all vaccination requirements, including routine childhood shots for school entry, according to state Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo.
Standing alongside Governor Ron DeSantis on Wednesday, Ladapo said his agency will begin rolling back mandates under its authority, while broader changes will require legislative approval.
Public health leaders warned the move could trigger outbreaks of measles, polio, and other preventable diseases, putting children, tourists, and immunocompromised residents at risk.
At a press conference in Tampa, Ladapo called vaccine mandates unethical.
“What I’m most excited about is an announcement that we’re making now, which is that the Florida Department of Health, in partnership with the governor, is going to be working to end all vaccine mandates in Florida law—all of them, all of them, all of them, every last one of them,” he said. “Every last one of them is wrong and drips with disdain and slavery.”
He argued against the public aspect of public health. “There is no ethical basis” for requiring vaccines to protect vulnerable people, he said. Those at risk, including newborns and the immunocompromised, being exposed to life-threatening diseases is just “part of the experience of life.”
DeSantis backed the effort, framing it as a fight for “medical freedom.” He said some mandates could be lifted administratively, while the legislature will decide the rest when it reconvenes in January.
Health experts reacted sharply. Dr. Tina Tan, president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, told Reuters the move was “going to be a major disaster.” She added: “You’re going to get multiple outbreaks of vaccine-preventable disease and spread of these diseases.”
Dr. Michael Osterholm, an infectious disease expert at the University of Minnesota, called the decision “reckless.” He warned: “Every parent of a child who dies or who is hospitalized with a vaccine-preventable disease will know exactly why.” Osterholm is helping organize the Vaccine Integrity Project, a coalition formed over concerns about shifts in U.S. vaccine policy.
Nationwide, kindergarten vaccination rates dropped to about 92 percent in 2024–25, below the 95 percent target needed to prevent spread. Florida data shows about 11,287 kindergartners—5.1 percent—received exemptions last school year.
The announcement comes as the U.S. faces its largest measles outbreak since 2000. Two children in Texas died this year from the infection.
Perhaps someone should rabbit hole where the product to manufacture all pharmaceutical products comes from because it’s oil and not a damn person says it
Remember the conspiracy theory that we have the cure for cancer but dont release it to charge people for more healthcare? Maybe Republicans are trying to rollback these regulations in hopes of getting more people sick and paying for more pharmaceuticals, thus helping the same companies that donate to the Republicans.
Literally just a death cult. I just really, really, really wish all the rest of us didn’t have to live on the same planet of them. If they want to get sick and die because they don’t know anything about anything that’s their right, but I don’t want to be part of that.
“Slavery”
Bud, that’s not what slavery is. Course, how could they know, when they are taking all the exhibits and educational materials explaining slavery and removing them for not being “pro America” enough?
*Republican standing in front of child sized coffins after this passes*
Why would Obama do this to Florida?
I can’t imagine Disney world wants to be known as a super spreader site.
I’m not surprised by anything like this anymore. Our politicians are compromised by foreign entities and or bought out by cooperations. Either way, they are no longer representatives of the people. It’s time for a major overhaul in our government.
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Quote: “There is no ethical basis” for requiring vaccines to protect vulnerable people, he said. Those at risk, including newborns and the immunocompromised, being exposed to life-threatening diseases is just “part of the experience of life.”
Repeat: “There is no ethical basis” for requiring vaccines to protect vulnerable people.
What are the odds that this fucker calls himself a Christian? I am guessing it is quite high.
The resurgence of those diseases will impact all of us. Diseases don’t respect state borders.
>“What I’m most excited about is an announcement that we’re making now, which is that the Florida Department of Health, in partnership with the governor, is going to be working to end all vaccine mandates in Florida law—**all of them, all of them, all of them, every last one of them,**” he said. “**Every last one of them is wrong and drips with disdain and slavery**.”
Can’t believe I’m reading this shit. Florida is trying to trigger an extinction event. Sorry kids.
Wouldn’t this also open a vector to bioterrorism?
Quarantine that pos state, block the borders. Bugs Bunny that shit.
Could we, um, maybe Build the Wall around Florida please?
I wouldn’t worry too much. Nothing changed. Parents who are going to vaccinate will and parents who don’t, no longer need to pick up a waiver.
I’m all for it. Science needs controls and having an unvaccinated population is a great control group.
Glad Florida is stepping up.
What I might do in turn is have proof of vaccination in certain areas. Want to go to a theme park during an outbreak of measles? Better have your vacc card ready.
The goal is for poor people to die. AI will lead to a lot of layoffs, and the rich don’t want to deal with the angry mob.
II want nothing more than to never visit FL again. But with so much family down there I can’t put my foot down on the issue. My kid (under 1yo) got Covid and of course it passes to us in turn) after our most recent trip.
Ontario and Alberta have measles outbreaks. Kids are suffering.
All societal norms are collapsing at this point, I’m about to move west and go live in the mountains. It seems mob rule is only acceptable to Republicans when it’s the idiot mob making the rules. This isn’t fair to everyone else who tries to be a functioning responsible member of society. This rewards ignorance and superstition. I will never go to Florida again.
Well they thought they could get away with the Covid vaccines without damaging the reputation of other vaccines, maybe they wont try that again.
This is crazy. It’s literally a national and global health risk.
who cares, it’s Florida — they’ll get rid of themselves
so will other states/countries implement a travel ban on any one coming out of Florida?
I feel sorry for the innocent children who will suffer bc of this decision.
Sweet. I’ll have some cheap housing options in Florida because people won’t make it to home buying age down there.
This is what happens when you bring Cubans in. They try to turn it into Cuba.
Human beings deserve extinction. We get smart enough to get rid of certain diseases but then we let idiots govern us. Not a single one of us deserves to live if we let people like this in positions of power
As a transplant to Florida some 17 years ago it’s been honestly quite sad seeing this place devolve to the toy box of small dick energy nepo-babies and their pinot grigio pickled bleach blonde wives. The “I swear I grinded my way to this money, bro!” stench in this place would be hilarious if it wasn’t so tragic.
Do you want smallpox? Because this is how you get smallpox.
The man is a dumbass.
That’s really all you can say about the surgeon general.
Are these the same “experts” who said that suggesting the virus came from a lab was racist?
These kids would be really offended if they could go to out of state colleges
“could return”? Ummm didn’t we just have a measles outbreak amongst these anti-vax idiots?
It’s like governors of “red” states are in a race to see who can be the biggest moron.