US: Florida to abolish all vaccine mandates

The US southeastern state of Florida plans to eliminate all vaccine mandates, including school requirements.

State Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo, who announced the decision at an event on Wednesday, called the current vaccine requirements "immoral."

"Every last one of them is wrong and drips with disdain and slavery," said Ladapo.

He added that "people have a right to make their own decisions, informed decisions. Who am I, as a government or anyone else, to tell you what you should put in your body?"

Ladapo didn't provide a specific timeline for the changes but mentioned that the state Health Department has the authority to scrap certain vaccine mandates on its own, while others would need approval from the Florida Legislature.

He didn't name any specific vaccines but emphasized repeatedly that the goal is to eliminate "all of them. Every last one of them." 

Florida's move to end vaccine mandates raises concerns

In Florida, students are currently required to receive vaccinations for several diseases, including chicken pox, measles, and polio.

Democratic State Representative Anna Eskamani, who is running for Orlando mayor, called scrapping vaccines "reckless and dangerous," warning it could cause outbreaks of preventable disease.

"This is a public health disaster in the making for the Sunshine State," Eskamani wrote on X.

The American Medical Association (AMA) echoed similar concerns.

"While there is still time, we urge Florida to reconsider this change to help prevent a rise of infectious disease outbreaks that put health and lives at risk," said Dr. Sandra Adamson Fryhofer, an AMA trustee, in a statement.

Florida's announcement is in line with the Trump administration's agenda, led by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a known vaccine skeptic.

Since taking the job, Kennedy has implemented several changes to the US vaccine policy, including limiting who is eligible for COVID shots.

Kennedy grilled on vaccine policies, leadership

During a three-hour Senate hearing on Thursday, Kennedy fended off accusations about the recent high-profile departures at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the appointment of vaccine critics to a federal advisory panel, and changes to COVID-19 vaccine recommendations.

The hearing, which often devolved into shouting matches, came a week after the ousting of CDC director Sue Monarez, less than a month into her tenure. At least four other top CDC officials resigned afterwards in protest.

Kennedy said Monarez — who was nominated by President Donald Trump and endorsed for the job by Kennedy — was untrustworthy.

"I asked her: 'Are you a trustworthy person?' and she said 'No,'" said Kennedy, explaining his change of opinion. "If you had an employee who told you they weren't trustworthy, would you ask them to resign?"

Kennedy also criticized the CDC's guidelines on lockdowns and masks during the COVID-19 pandemic, claiming that they "failed to do anything about the disease itself."

During the hearing, Republican Senator Bill Cassidy questioned Kennedy about the cancellation of $500 million in mRNA vaccine development funding. 

"I would say, effectively, we're denying people vaccine," said Cassidy, who had backed Kennedy's nomination for Health Secretary.

The proceedings signaled a shift in tone for congressional Republicans, who have typically supported Trump’s policies.

Edited by: Rana Taha, Dmytro Hubenko