The southeastern state of Florida plans to eliminate all vaccine mandates, including school requirements.
State Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo, who announced the decision at an event on Wednesday, called the current vaccine requirements “immoral.”
“Every last one of them is wrong and drips with disdain and slavery,” said Ladapo.
He added that “people have a right to make their own decisions, informed decisions. Who am I, as a government or anyone else, to tell you what you should put in your body?”
Ladapo didn’t provide a specific timeline for the changes but mentioned that the state Health Department has the authority to scrap certain vaccine mandates on its own, while others would need approval from the Florida Legislature.
He didn’t name any specific but emphasized repeatedly that the goal is to eliminate “all of them. Every last one of them.”
Florida’s move to end vaccine mandates raises concerns
In Florida, students are currently required to receive vaccinations for several diseases, including chicken pox, , and .
Democratic State Representative Anna Eskamani, who is running for Orlando mayor, called scrapping vaccines “reckless and dangerous,” warning it could cause outbreaks of .
“This is a public health disaster in the making for the Sunshine State,” Eskamani wrote on X.
The American Medical Association (AMA) echoed similar concerns.
“While there is still time, we urge Florida to reconsider this change to help prevent a rise of infectious disease outbreaks that put health and lives at risk,” said Dr. Sandra Adamson Fryhofer, an AMA trustee, in a statement.
Florida’s announcement is in line with the Trump administration’s agenda, led by Health Secretary , a known vaccine skeptic.
Since taking the job, Kennedy has implemented several , including limiting who is eligible for COVID shots.
Edited by: Rana Taha
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