Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Announces End To Vaccine Mandates

VALRICO, Florida – Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced the creation of the Florida MAHA Commission during a press conference on Wednesday.

MAHA stands for “Make America Healthy Again,” a term associated with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s health initiatives.

The commission will focus on promoting nutritious food, addressing chronic diseases, and supporting medical freedom, informed consent, and parental rights. It will be chaired by First Lady Casey DeSantis and Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins, with Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo as a member.

At the same event, Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo stated that the Florida Department of Health will work to eliminate all vaccine mandates, including those for schoolchildren against diseases such as measles and polio. Ladapo described vaccine mandates as “wrong” and stated they “drip with disdain and slavery.” This policy would make Florida the first U.S. state to end such requirements.

Currently, vaccines mandatory for entry into Florida schools include:

• 4-5 doses of DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis)
• 3-5 doses of polio (IPV)
• 2 doses of MMR (measles, mumps, rubella)
• 3 doses of Hepatitis B
• 2 doses of Varicella (chickenpox)
• For 7th grade: 1 dose of Tdap

The elimination of vaccine mandates will require legislative approval, and no changes are immediate.