As Gov. Ron DeSantis’ management prepares Florida to be the first state to remove school vaccine orders, deep concerns have spread among children and public health workers about child safety and the safety of those vulnerable to disease outbreaks.
They fear that if many people in Florida are not vaccinated, the vaccine could bring back the horrific diseases that have been suppressed for decades. What should you know about this:
DeSantis calls this “medical freedom.”
While states have traditionally followed federal guidance on vaccines, school mandates are set by the state’s health department. Florida surgeon general Dr. Joseph Radapop announced Wednesday that the department he oversees will take immediate steps to eliminate these duties, calling for a “immoral” intrusion on the rights of people that hinder the parent’s ability to make health decisions for their children.
“We’re going to finish it,” Radapop said without providing details or timelines.
The Health Department also did not immediately answer questions about other vaccine requirements, such as specific workplaces. Many such requirements are engraved in state law and require legislative approval. Desantis has appointed Ladapo and his wife Casey Desantis to the committee. This drafts a broader “freedom of health care” measure that is expected to be introduced in the next legislative session.
School nurses sound alarm
“If they can get through it, they’re just opening the door to a 100% preventable health crisis,” said Lynn Nelson, president of the National Association of School Nurses.
Schools are a microcosm of society, and when students return home, they can bring illness to vulnerable people, such as infants and the elderly, Nelson said.
Measles, mumps and pertussis are also known as coughing coughs – is one of the preventable diseases that Nelson is most concerned about, whether Florida’s plan was successful. Measles, a highly contagious disease, can cause life-threatening situations for babies and small children, she said.
“It’s currently happening nationwide and will spread to states and communities where vaccines are slowing down,” she said.
Florida is already delaying the country with vaccination rates
This was the worst year for measles in the United States in more than 30 years, with more than 1,400 confirmed cases nationwide, mostly in Texas, with three confirmed deaths. Hoop’s cough killed at least two babies in Louisiana and a 5-year-old in Washington. According to spare CDC data, as of August 23, there were more than 19,000 cases, nearly 2,000 more than last year.
Even before Wednesday’s announcement, Florida delayed other parts of the United States when it immunized 88.7% in 2025 when kindergarten children become immune to immunity due to illnesses like measles, mumps and rubella, according to state and federal health statistics.
New religious exemptions for vaccines also increased to 6.4% of children aged 5-17 as of April 2025, and to 15% in some counties.
This was last updated May 29, according to the Florida Department of Health’s monthly online “Vaccination-Proofable Disease Surveillance Report.” At the time, hepatitis A, whooping cough and chicken pox were on an increase in Florida.
Parents are divided
“I’m 100% pro vaccine,” said Yvette Phase, who will be waiting with other parents to welcome their children outside Bayview Elementary School in Fort Lauderdale on Thursday. It’s not a good idea to drop the vaccine requirements because “children must be protected to protect other children.”
But Ebony Walker, the mother of a first-grade student at the school, said he was “all” deletion of the mandate. She said she was “scary” when she had to get so many vaccines right after her son was born. Now she gives him a religious exemption from other inoculations.
“Florida is always setting trends, doing different things…and setting bars for other states to follow,” Walker said.
And Lydia Clark, who said her 7-year-old grandson had never been vaccinated, said she “emailed” that her family didn’t need to continue securing the exemption. “If you want your child to be vaccinated, you can, but I don’t think it should have been implemented by any of us,” she said.
Why do we need a vaccine?
Since the release of the first safe and effective polio vaccine for use in the United States in 1955, the vaccine has become the cornerstone of public health, keeping school children and adults safe from the infectious diseases that have suffered populations for centuries.
According to a recent position paper from the National Association of School Nurses, timely and latest vaccinations are “essential to protect children, young people, and the public from school-aged, from serious, preventable infections.” “The vaccine exemption should be eliminated unless a validated medical contraindication is required,” the group said.
“We are committed to providing a great opportunity to help you,” said Dr. Joshu Alabang, a primary care physician in Miami.
How will this affect Florida’s tourism industry?
It is unclear how a decline in vaccinations will affect Florida’s top businesses. It’s a $128 billion tourism industry. Florida is one of the top destinations in the US, with 143 million visitors last year.
Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, and other Orlando theme parks no longer require evidence of vaccination for employees due to Florida law passed in 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic to limit the power of employers. Representatives from Disney and Universal did not respond to inquiries on Thursday asking about the potential impact of children who were not vaccinated.
Florida is also home to the cruise line industry, which has an economic impact of $24 billion, according to the Cruise Line International Association. Most cruise lines do not have a vaccine requirement. However, the CDC recommends that passengers be vaccinated against Covid and the flu, and ensure that other vaccines recommended may be recommended based on the country they are visiting.
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Associated Press Contributors include Devi Shastri and RJ Rico
