Florida initiates efforts to abolish mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations
The state of Florida has announced the formation of a new commission called "Make America Healthy Again", chaired by First Lady Casey DeSantis. Governor Ron DeSantis made the announcement, with Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins also joining the commission.
The commission is modelled after a similar one at the federal level, led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The commission's primary focus is on health policy, but specific details about its objectives are not yet clear.
Meanwhile, Florida's Surgeon General, Joseph Ladapo, has expressed support for repealing vaccine mandates. During a press conference at the University of Miami Health System Don Soffer Clinical Research Center on May 17, 2022, Ladapo stated that his department will soon issue rules to repeal vaccine requirements for various diseases, including polio, diphtheria, measles, and mumps.
If the repeal passes, Florida will become the first state in the nation to eliminate all vaccine mandates for children and adults. However, this move has raised concerns among health professionals. Dr. Susan Kressly, the president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, believes that ending vaccine mandates in Florida will put children in public schools at higher risk for getting sick and have ripple effects across their community.
Dr. Aileen Marty, an infectious disease expert at Florida International University, shares similar concerns. She stated that ending all vaccine requirements in Florida will cause havoc and issues with vaccines for the impoverished due to funding problems and insurance-related issues.
It's important to note that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is currently experiencing chaos, although no specific details about this chaos are provided in the article. The article also does not provide details about the potential impact of this chaos or Florida's proposed vaccine mandate repeal on public health.
The article concludes without any clear indication of the commission's plans or the potential consequences of Florida's proposed actions on public health. As the situation develops, it will be crucial to monitor these issues closely and ensure that informed decisions are made to protect the health and well-being of all Floridians.
