Gov. Ron DeSantis had said that the initial changes would not cover all vaccines, and that officials would work with legislators on additional changes.
The first stage of Florida’s new plan to eliminate all vaccine mandates in the state will not take effect for a few months, officials said on Sept. 8.
The Florida Department of Health initiated a change to requirements for childhood immunizations on Sept. 3, and “anticipates the rule change will not be effective for approximately 90 days,” a spokesperson for the department told The Epoch Times in an email.
The change would remove requirements for pneumococcal conjugate vaccines and vaccines for Hepatitis B, varicella, and Haemophilus influenzae type B.
“All other vaccinations required by section 1003.22, Florida Statutes, for school entry in Florida remain in place, unless updated through legislation. This includes vaccines for poliomyelitis, diphtheria, rubeola, rubella, pertussis, mumps, and tetanus,” the spokesperson added.
Dr. Joseph Ladapo, Florida’s surgeon general, with the support of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, said on Sept. 3 that he would be working to end all vaccine mandates in the state. Florida, during the COVID-19 pandemic, had banned COVID-19 vaccine mandates for schools.
Ladapo said the effort was based on the idea that people should have the right to choose what to put into their bodies, as well as the bodies of their children.
Florida law currently requires several vaccines for children who attend daycare, preschool, and primary school.
The Florida Department of Health would roll back vaccine requirements imposed by Ladapo’s predecessors that had not been part of state law, officials said at a press conference. Ladapo was going to meet with legislators on the other mandates, they said.
“The rest would require changes from the Legislature,” DeSantis said. Ladapo “is going to be working with the Legislature,” he added later. “I don’t think he’s had a chance to discuss with them.”
Republicans control both legislative chambers in Florida. The leaders of the chambers do not appear to have commented publicly on the announcement, and inquiries to them were not returned.
