The American Academy of Pediatrics strongly recommends COVID-19 shots for children ages 6 months to 2 years and for older kids in certain instances.
VALRICO, Fla — Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo announced the state’s Department of Health will be working to end all vaccine mandates.
At a news conference in Valrico, the health official said the government doesn’t have the right to tell citizens what to put in their bodies.
Ladapo didn’t give a specific timeline for when the mandates would be ended or how his team would achieve this.
“Every last one of them is wrong and drips with disdain and slavery,” he said. “Who am I to tell you what your child should put in your body?”
School immunization requirements for Florida include MMR, Hepatitis B, Polio, Measles-mumps-rubella, chickenpox and several others.
“We’ve seen many who wish they could undo their decisions, especially from the COVID-19 pandemic. For instance, how many regret having that substance injected into their systems?” Ladapo stated.
The American Academy of Pediatrics firmly suggests COVID-19 vaccinations for children between 6 months to 2 years, and recommends considering them for older children if parents are inclined to do so.
This recommendation is unlike the contentious guidelines set by U.S. Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., which advise against vaccinating healthy children of any age but allow for vaccinations if discussed with healthcare providers.
In August, Kennedy declared that the federal Department of Health would revoke contracts and withdraw funding for certain vaccines being developed to tackle respiratory viruses.
If effectuated, Florida would be pioneering a no-vaccine mandate in the nation. While no state has an outright ban, exemptions for medical reasons exist universally; laws on religious or personal exemptions differ by state, as noted by the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has also introduced a commission dedicated to enacting policies aimed at “Making America Healthy Again,” aligning with federal initiatives to form strategies to combat and resolve childhood chronic illnesses.
Kennedy has brought children’s health to the forefront of the national policy conversation, unveiling in May a much-anticipated “Make America Healthy Again” report that described kids as undernourished and overmedicated, and raised concerns about their lack of physical activity.
The Florida commission will work to implement principles such as individual medical freedom, parents’ rights and informed consent, according to DeSantis.
Like the federal government, Florida officials said they will work to determine the causes of chronic diseases and help “restore trust” in Floridians with health care officials.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
