Ron DeSantis and Joseph Ladapo Announce Plan to Eliminate All Vaccine Mandates in Florida [WATCH]

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and State Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo announced Wednesday that Florida will move to become the first state in the nation to end all vaccine mandates, including those long in place for school-aged children, as reported by Yahoo News.

Speaking at an event in Hillsborough County, Ladapo said the Florida Department of Health will work with the governor’s office to repeal every vaccine requirement in state law. He argued that mandates violate individual rights, calling them a form of “slavery.”

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

“Who am I as a government or anyone else, or 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 be put in their body? I don’t have that right.” His remarks drew applause from the audience.

MAJOR BREAKING: The Surgeon General of Florida just announced ALL VACCINE MANDATES IN FLORIDA will be ENDED, and the room erupted.

All. Not just COVID. ALL.

JOSEPH LADAPO: “Every last one is wrong and DRIPS with disdain and slavery! Who am I, or anyone else, to tell YOU what… pic.twitter.com/Kah5LscGTo

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) September 3, 2025

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For decades, Florida—like every other U.S. state—has required children in kindergarten through 12th grade to receive a series of vaccines in order to attend public or private schools.

Exemptions could be obtained for medical or religious reasons. Vaccines on the required list included measles, mumps, rubella, polio, tetanus, and Hepatitis B.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that vaccines save more than four million lives annually worldwide.

Public health studies over decades have credited state vaccine mandates with significantly reducing the spread of preventable diseases, particularly among children in school settings.

The announcement by DeSantis and Ladapo marks a major policy shift, placing Florida at odds with long-standing federal and state public health guidance.

Currently, every U.S. state requires at least some vaccines for school enrollment, with enforcement carried out by local health and education departments.

Supporters of the move say it reflects the governor’s commitment to parental rights and medical freedom, while critics warn it could have public health consequences.

Details on the legislative process and how soon the repeal could take effect have not yet been released.

DeSantis has previously positioned Florida as a leader in rolling back COVID-19 mandates, and Wednesday’s announcement extends that effort to longstanding school vaccination laws.

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