Florida Governor DeSantis Announces Plans to End All Vaccine Mandates Statewide
Valrico, FL — On Wednesday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, alongside State Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo, announced a bold initiative to phase out all vaccine mandates across the state, including childhood vaccine requirements.
Speaking at a press conference in Valrico, near Tampa, Dr. Ladapo described current vaccine mandates as an “immoral” intrusion on individual rights, equating them to a form of “slavery” that undermines parental authority over health decisions for their children. “People have a right to make their own decisions, informed decisions. They don’t have the right to tell you what to put in your body. Take it away from them,” Ladapo stated emphatically.
The announcement signals a significant policy shift in the Sunshine State, aiming to remove all vaccine mandates from school and other sectors. While Florida’s Department of Health has the authority to repeal some mandates administratively, others require legislative actions to be fully eradicated. The Surgeon General reiterated that the state will pursue ending “all of them. Every last one of them,” though he did not specify individual vaccine types.
Governor DeSantis also revealed the creation of a new state-level commission titled “Make America Healthy Again,” which mirrors federal initiatives led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. This commission is expected to complement the administration’s broader agenda around health freedoms and policy reform.
Dr. Ladapo expressed confidence in legislative support, urging lawmakers to decide firmly on this “moral side” of health choice. “I love our lawmakers. They’re going to have to make decisions, people are going to have to make a decision,” he said. “People are going to have to choose a side. And I am telling you right now that the moral side is so simple.”
The decision to end vaccine mandates has sparked significant debate statewide and nationally, given vaccines’ widely recognized role in preventing disease outbreaks and protecting public health. The move positions Florida alongside a growing number of states influencing the national dialogue around vaccine requirements and individual freedoms.
Critics of the plan warn that removing vaccine mandates could lead to increased vulnerability to preventable diseases, especially among children in schools. Supporters welcome it as a restoration of personal choice and an end to what they describe as governmental overreach.
Florida’s health officials plan to work closely with the legislature in the coming months to implement these changes, with the timeline for repeal depending on the progress of legal and legislative processes.