Florida Drops vaccine Requirements for Children, Surgeon General Equates Mandates to “Slavery”
Tampa, FL – In a move sparking national outrage and raising serious public health concerns, Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo announced Wednesday the state will no longer require vaccinations for children attending schools and childcare facilities. The decision eliminates mandatory immunizations against diseases like measles, mumps, chickenpox, polio, and hepatitis.
Speaking at a press conference alongside Governor Ron DeSantis, Ladapo framed the repeal of vaccine requirements as a matter of individual liberty and religious freedom, going so far as to compare vaccine mandates to “slavery.”
“Every last one of them is wrong and drips with disdain and slavery,” Ladapo stated, echoing sentiments that have drawn sharp criticism from medical professionals and public health advocates.He further asserted that skepticism towards vaccines represents “reflections of God’s light against the darkness of tyranny and oppression.”
This decision comes from a figure already under intense scrutiny. Ladapo, appointed by DeSantis, has a long history of questioning the efficacy and safety of vaccines. He was previously accused of spreading ”scientific nonsense” regarding COVID-19 vaccines and was found to have manipulated data in a 2022 study to exaggerate potential risks associated with the vaccine in young men. His past affiliation with the controversial America’s Frontline Doctors group further fuels concerns about his objectivity.
The move effectively allows parents to decide whether or not to vaccinate their children, potentially leading to a decline in herd immunity and increased outbreaks of preventable diseases. Public health experts warn this could disproportionately impact vulnerable populations, including infants too young to be vaccinated and individuals with compromised immune systems.”People have a right to make their own decisions,” Ladapo argued,adding,”Our body is a gift from God. What you put into your body is because of your relationship with your body and your God.”
The declaration is the latest in a series of actions by the DeSantis governance that have aligned with anti-vaccine sentiment and prioritized individual choice over public health recommendations. The long-term consequences of this policy remain to be seen, but experts fear a meaningful setback in the fight against infectious diseases.
Related: More than 1,000 health workers urge Kennedy to quit over anti-vax policies
Keywords: Florida, Vaccines, Vaccine Mandates, Joseph Ladapo, Ron DeSantis, Public Health, Measles, Mumps, Polio, Chickenpox, Hepatitis, Herd Immunity, Anti-Vaccine, COVID-19, Vaccination, Florida News, Health News.
