Florida held a public meeting to consider removing school-entry vaccine mandates for hepatitis B, chickenpox (varicella), Hib and the pneumococcal vaccine. Pediatricians and survivors urged officials to retain the rules, citing serious, vaccine-preventable illnesses, while some attendees promoted demonstrably false claims about measles and vaccines. The state health department can revoke only the four specified mandates by rule; mandates for polio, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, measles, mumps and rubella would require legislative action. Written comments remain open and a final decision is not expected until next year.
Florida Hearing Erupts as State Officials Propose Rolling Back School Vaccine Mandates
Florida's surgeon general, Dr. Joseph Ladapo, at a press conference on Jan. 16. (Andrew West / The News-Press via USA TODAY Network file)
A public meeting in Panama City Beach, Florida, turned into a heated confrontation Friday as state health officials solicited input on a proposal to repeal several school vaccine requirements. The proposal would remove mandates for hepatitis B, varicella (chickenpox), Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) and the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine for children attending public and private schools, including prekindergarten, and for daycare admission. State officials have not announced a timeline for any rule changes.
Doctors Warn, Skeptics Push Back
The two-hour session highlighted deep divisions between pediatricians and vaccine skeptics. Several clinicians urged the Florida Department of Health not to eliminate the four mandates within its regulatory authority, recounting traumatic clinical experiences with vaccine-preventable diseases.
“I feel very sad to hear the distrust of physicians in the medical community. We only have our patients’ welfare in mind,” said Dr. Frederick Southwick, an infectious-disease specialist.
Physicians described wards once full of children with illnesses now largely prevented by vaccines. Dr. Paul Robinson, a pediatrician, recalled treating a 2-year-old with Hib who was left partially paralyzed. Survivor Jamie Schanbaum described losing fingers and undergoing multiple amputations after contracting meningitis in college, urging the public to consider the severe consequences of such diseases.
Misinformation at the Microphone
Some members of the public used their allotted speaking time to relay demonstrably false claims: two attendees denied that recent measles outbreaks occurred (U.S. data show more measles cases this year than any year since measles was declared eliminated in 2000), another misstated the science around mRNA vaccines (none of the shots under consideration use mRNA), and one speaker claimed that giving children multiple vaccines within 30 days "amounts to attempted murder," a claim not supported by evidence. Medical guidance supports co-administration of certain vaccines to reduce visits and maintain timely protection.
Who Can Change What?
State officials clarified the limits of the health department's authority: the department can repeal mandates only for hepatitis B, varicella, Hib and pneumococcal vaccines. Requirements that protect against polio, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), tetanus, measles, mumps and rubella would require action by the state legislature; no bill to remove those mandates has been introduced.
The debate has been amplified at the state level by prominent officials who have publicly questioned vaccine policies. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has made vaccine scrutiny a visible part of his agenda, and Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo—who gained attention during the COVID-19 pandemic for his skepticism of coronavirus vaccines—has pledged to work to eliminate school vaccine mandates.
Next Steps
The Florida Department of Health is still accepting written public comments on the proposed rule changes. Officials said a final decision is unlikely until next year and that they are "committed to moving forward with the rule change process" in accordance with state law.
Context: Vaccines named in the proposal protect against illnesses that historically caused severe disability and death. Public-health experts say maintaining high vaccination coverage for school-aged children reduces outbreaks and protects those too young or medically unable to be vaccinated.
