Florida is currently planning to end all vaccine mandates, including those for schoolchildren, a move that challenges long-standing public health measures to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
On Wednesday, September 3, 2025, Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph A. Ladapo announced the plan alongside Gov. Ron DeSantis during an event in Valrico, near Tampa and stated, “Who am I to tell you what your child should put in their body?” and called vaccines mandates a “slavery.”
Ladapo, popular for his controversial views, has previously faced massive backlash for criticising lockdowns as a precautionary measure to curb Covid-19, which drew rebuke from the CDC, and for allowing parents to send unvaccinated children to school during a 2024 measles outbreak.
However, the process top-end mandates still remain unclear. Ladapo stated that the Florida Department of Health would work to minimise related rules, while lawmakers would be required to take further steps.
Currently, all 50 states have a few vaccination requirements for students, with waivers provided for medical, religious, or personal reasons.
It is pertinent to mention, immunisation rates have significantly reduced nationwide.
DeSantis further revealed a new commission, led by his wife, Casey DeSantis, to align state policies with those of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vocal vaccine skeptic and Trump’s health secretary.
