Florida Announces Changes to School Vaccine Requirements

It’s official: the Florida Department of Health is beginning to create the rule that will get rid of some vaccine mandates in Florida.

The agency has issued a Notice of Development of Rulemaking concerning immunization requirements applicable to both public and private schools from preschool and kindergarten through 12th grade, as well as adult education programs.

The goal is to revise the immunization and documentation needs for school admission, encompassing DH 680, Florida Certification of Immunization, DH 681, Religious Exemptions for Immunization, and the Immunization Guidelines for Florida Schools, Childcare Centers, and Family Daycare Homes. The notice also mentions updates to the language and form used to opt out of inclusion in Florida SHOTS.

The notice says a rule development workshop will happen if requested in writing and “not deemed unnecessary by the agency head.”

Individuals seeking further details on the rule development process, wishing to request a rule development workshop, or interested in obtaining a copy of the preliminary draft of the rule modification can reach out via email to VaccineRule@flhealth.gov.

[WATCH: Florida’s plan to drop school vaccine rule won’t start for 90 days, won’t cover all diseases]

Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo has advocated for the cessation of all vaccine mandates in the state, a stance that Gov. Ron DeSantis has expressed support for.

The statutes in Florida presently include several vaccine mandates, especially concerning children attending school. Nevertheless, certain mandates were established through the state rule-making process and can be rescinded through the same procedure.

Those include:

• Varicella (chickenpox)

• Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)

• Pneumococcal conjugate (PCV15/20)

• Hepatitis B (Hep B)

The Florida Legislature would have to repeal any mandates specified by law.

For school children, that includes:

• DTAP (diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis)

• MMR (measles, mumps, rubella)

• Polio

Ladapo and DeSantis say it’s about parents having more freedom over their children.

“My assessment involves considering these factors and questioning if parents should have the right to decide what enters their children’s bodies and their own bodies as opposed to governmental control,” Ladapo stated.

[WATCH: Doctors fear ‘ripple effect’ of ending vaccine mandates in Florida]

Many Florida pediatricians and pediatric groups have decried the move, saying it will put children in public schools at higher risk for getting sick.