Florida is the first state in the nation to move toward ending all vaccine mandates statewide, including those for school-aged students.
Jonathan Roman | Staff Writer
Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo, joined by lawmakers and Governor Ron DeSantis, announced during a Sept. 3rd press conference that the state health department will immediately begin phasing out all non-statutory vaccine mandates.
During his remarks, Dr. Ladapo made controversial claims about vaccine requirements, stating that such mandates are “wrong and drip with disdain and slavery.”
Until this announcement, all 50 states had maintained some form of vaccine requirement since the early 1980s. Schools traditionally require immunizations for measles, polio, and tetanus. However, no state currently mandates COVID-19 vaccines for schoolchildren.
While states allow exemptions for medical, personal, or religious reasons, Florida’s move could lead to immediate rollbacks of certain mandates, though others will require new legislation.
At FIU, immunization requirements remain in place. Students born after Dec. 31, 1956, must provide proof of vaccination against measles and rubella as part of the Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) requirement. Medical exemptions and temporary deferments are handled by FIU’s Student Health Services.
Additionally, students must submit proof of vaccination for meningitis and hepatitis B, though they may opt out of those two by signing a waiver of liability.
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