In an unprecedented move since all 50 U.S. states adopted mandates in 1980, Florida officials announced plans this week to repeal vaccine requirements for children attending public schools.
In a Sept. 3 press conference, Gov. Ron DeSantis, Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo and other state leaders said Florida was working to end all vaccine mandates. During the conference, Ladapo — an already controversial figure for his handling of other public health issues, including COVID-19 and measles — compared compulsory vaccinations against diseases like polio to "slavery," saying, "Who am I to tell you what your child should put in their body? I don’t have that right. Your body is a gift from God."
The announcement was cheered by anti-vaccine and personal freedom advocates while being criticized by professional medical societies and health experts. Amid the back-and-forth is more confusion for the general public. Can Florida do this? Is it legal? Are vaccines safe?
Here's what you should know.
Florida moves to kill vaccine mandates: state surgeon general calls them ‘slavery’
