Florida's Department of Health reveals details about school vaccine mandates

"Florida's plan to drop school vaccine mandates likely won't take effect for 90 days and would include only chickenpox and a few other illnesses unless lawmakers decide to extend it to other diseases, like polio and measles, the health department said Sunday. The department responded to a request for details, four days after Florida's surgeon general, Dr. Joseph Ladapo, said the state would become the first to make vaccinations voluntary and let families decide whether to inoculate their children."

"Florida's plan would lift mandates on school vaccines for hepatitis B, chickenpox, Hib influenza and pneumococcal diseases, such as meningitis, the health department said. "The Department initiated the rule change on September 3, 2025, and anticipates the rule change will not be effective for approximately 90 days," the state told the Associated Press in an email. The public school year in Florida started in August."

""If you want them, God bless, you can have as many as you want," he said. "And if you don't want them, parents should have the ability and the power to decide what goes into their children's bodies. It's that simple.""

Florida plans to lift school vaccine mandates for hepatitis B, chickenpox, Hib influenza and pneumococcal diseases. The health department initiated the rule change on September 3, 2025, and anticipates the change will take effect in approximately 90 days. All other vaccinations required by Florida law to attend school, including measles, polio, diphtheria, pertussis, mumps and tetanus, will remain in place unless updated through legislation. The public school year in Florida started in August and lawmakers do not meet again until January 2026. A religious exemption for vaccine requirements already exists in Florida. Research shows vaccines are safe and effective at preventing spread among children.

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