Florida will become the first state to end all vaccine mandates, the state’s surgeon general, Joseph Ladapo, announced on Wednesday. The move includes vaccine requirements for children to attend school. “Every last one of them is wrong and drips with disdain and slavery,” Ladapo said. “Who am I, as a man standing here now, to tell you what you should put in your body? Who am I to tell you what your child should put in your body? I don’t have that right. Your body is a gift from God. What you put into your body is because of your relationship with your body and your god,” he continued. “I don’t have that right. Government does not have that right. They want you to believe they have that right. And unfortunately, they’ve been successful,” he added. Check it out: BREAKING: "ALL" vaccine mandates in Florida to be ended by Florida Department of Health, Surgeon Gen. Joseph Ladapo announces "Every last one is wrong and DRIPS with disdain and slavery! Who am I, or anyone else, to tell YOU what you should put in your body? Who am I to tell you… pic.twitter.com/1wDVzS18q3 — Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) September 3, 2025 Unsurprisingly, mainstream media quickly defended the use of vaccines. Reuters noted that “public health experts” said the move would result in severe outbreaks among children and those with compromised immune systems. Florida's surgeon general, Joseph Ladapo, announced plans to end all state vaccine mandates, including for children to attend schools, likening the mandates to ‘slavery’ https://t.co/Pplyd2ALVH pic.twitter.com/da6hfp5rPX — Reuters (@Reuters) September 3, 2025 More from Reuters: All U.S. states have vaccine requirements to attend public schools with specific exceptions varying by state. Vaccination rates for several diseases, including measles, diphtheria and polio, decreased among U.S. kindergartners in the 2024-25 school year from the year before, according to federal data. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the new figures in July in the midst of a growing measles outbreak, with confirmed cases that month reaching the highest level since the disease was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000. Dr. Tina Tan, president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, said Florida’s move would result in a major drop in vaccination rates. “You’re going to get multiple outbreaks of vaccine-preventable disease and spread of these diseases,” she said. “These kids are going to bring it home.” If Florida follows through with dropping all vaccine mandates, it could also impact vaccination requirements at daycares or other places that require inoculations, she added. It could also put people who are immunocompromised and unable to get vaccinated at risk of disease and death. And because Florida is a major vacation destination, the move could spread diseases to other states. “It’s going to be a major disaster,” Tan said. Others expressed widespread praise after Ladapo’s announcement. “I spoke with Dr. Ladapo yesterday -he is a measured scientist – who is on fire to change the system for the better!” Dr. Robert Malone commented. I spoke with Dr. Ladapo yesterday -he is a measured scientist – who is on fire to change the system for the better! https://t.co/sXNrwunITP — Robert W Malone, MD (@RWMaloneMD) September 3, 2025 “With one passionate speech and a declaration to end medical mandates, Dr. Ladapo has captured a moment, a pulse of the American public who are now seeing the hope of a better world after decades or darkness,” Jefferey Jaxen said. With one passionate speech and a declaration to end medical mandates, Dr. Ladapo has captured a moment, a pulse of the American public who are now seeing the hope of a better world after decades or darknesshttps://t.co/08ugXZOstE — Jefferey Jaxen (@JeffereyJaxen) September 3, 2025 “Florida has become the national model for medical freedom. Today we established the Florida Make America Healthy Again Commission to recommend state-level integrations of MAHA principles and expanded protections for parental choice regarding childhood vaccines,” Gov. DeSantis announced. “Chaired by First Lady @CaseyDeSantis and Lt. Governor @JayCollinsFL, the MAHA Commission also includes @FLSurgeonGen, state agency heads in health and human services, and experts in the fields of nutrition, vaccine safety, and family practice. We have worked to empower Floridians to make the best decisions for their families’ health, and the Florida MAHA Commission will continue advancing this mission,” he added. Florida has become the national model for medical freedom. Today we established the Florida Make America Healthy Again Commission to recommend state-level integrations of MAHA principles and expanded protections for parental choice regarding childhood vaccines. Chaired by First… pic.twitter.com/9daT0SuYM8 — Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) September 3, 2025 Axios noted: Gov. Ron DeSantis said that the state Department of Health can end vaccine mandates not written into state law, but any others will require action by the Legislature. He acknowledged neither he nor Ladapo has spoken with state lawmakers about pursuing those changes. State statutes currently require school children to get immunized against seven illnesses: polio, diphtheria, measles, whooping cough, mumps and tetanus. The statute allows the state Department of Health to add vaccines to the list, but not remove any. As of August, the state Department of Health required students to be vaccinated against four additional illnesses: chickenpox, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), hepatitis B, and pneumococcal disease.