Florida health officials are trying to make good on their promise to end all vaccine requirements by introducing a new rule that would drop four required immunizations for public and private school attendance. Under the proposed rule change, children would no longer have to be vaccinated against chickenpox, Hepatitis B, Hib – otherwise known as Haemophilus influenzae type b – and pneumococcal disease to attend school. The rule is only a proposal for now.
Florida children are still required to have all four vaccines to attend school. Though Florida’s suggested change comes shortly after President Donald Trump signed an executive order calling for a new childhood vaccine schedule, it clashes with the president’s order. Trump has supported children being vaccinated against chickenpox, Hib and pneumococcal disease.
Rather, Florida’s proposed rule aligns with an effort by the state’s surgeon general, Joseph Ladapo, who has a history of promoting health-related misinformation. Last year, Ladapo vowed to end every single vaccine mandate, equating the requirements to “slavery.” When asked about Florida’s proposed vaccine mandate change, the White House pointed to Trump’s comments from the Oval Office last year when he rebuffed the notion that all vaccines were optional. The president touted that some vaccines are “amazing,” such as the polio vaccine.
They’re not controversial at all. And I think those vaccines should be used. Otherwise, some people are going to catch it, and they endanger other people,” Trump said.
Though he did not expand on what he believed were non-controversial vaccines. The Independent has asked the Florida Department of Health for comment. In addition to dropping the four required vaccines, Florida’s proposed rule change would also update its religious exemption form to allow parents to opt out of vaccines for “moral and ethical beliefs.” The proposed rule change is currently in a comment period where people can provide feedback on it.
Some Florida vaccines are required under state law, including those for polio, measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria and tetanus. Florida officials would not be able to roll back requirements for those, as it would require sign-off from the state legislature. Every state requires vaccines for school-aged children to prevent the spread of deadly diseases.
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