On September 3rd, Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo announced that the Florida Department of Health would take steps to eliminate the current mandates on vaccines statewide. This comes as Governor Ron DeSantis has called for more ‘medical freedom.’
These recent statements by Gov. DeSantis and Dr. Ladapo have raised concerns, and the governor has signaled that he would like to introduce broader measures in the next legislative session. In turn, many Floridians question the implications of eliminating these vaccine mandates, especially regarding school-aged children.
For any parent seeking to send their child off to a Florida school, the required list of vaccinations works to immunize children against measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus, pertussis, and other illnesses.
Current data from the Florida Department of Health shows that as of the year 2025, 88.7% of children entering kindergarten, both public and private, have been immunized as required by current mandates.
As the concern regarding vaccines grows, correlations can be seen regarding exemptions granted. As of the 2024-2025 school year, 5.1% or roughly 11,287 children have been exempted from receiving the current vaccinations mandated by law. When looking closer at the exemptions, only 0.3% were for medical reasons. The remaining 4.8% were granted for non-medical exemptions.
The Florida Department of Health allows for non-medical exemptions through Form DH 681, Religious Exemption From Immunization. In this form, parents/guardians can exempt their children from vaccinations if it conflicts with their religious beliefs or practices.
With the rate of students receiving vaccine exemptions showing a slight increase in recent years, will the elimination of the current vaccine mandates cause these numbers to grow larger?
This leaves many concerned for the health of Florida children.
The American Lung Association released a statement in response to Gov. DeSantis and Dr. Lapado's comments. They opposed eliminating vaccine mandates. Ashley Lyerly, Senior Director of Advocacy at the American Lung Association, highlighted her concerns. She noted Florida’s massive tourism industry and the infectious nature of certain diseases.
“The ramifications from this decision could be catastrophic,” she stated.
