TALLAHASSEE, FL (LOOTPRESS) – Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo announced Wednesday that the state will move to eliminate all vaccine mandates, calling them “wrong” and “immoral.”
Speaking at a news conference alongside state leaders, Ladapo pledged that the Florida Department of Health will work in partnership with Gov. Ron DeSantis to ensure that no resident is forced to receive a vaccine against their will.
“All of them. Every last one of them,” Ladapo said, drawing applause from the crowd. “Who am I as a government or anyone else to tell you what you should put in your body? I don’t have that right.”
Florida currently requires students in public schools to be vaccinated against several diseases, as outlined by the Department of Health. Ladapo emphasized that the state is not banning vaccines but instead ensuring that they remain a matter of personal choice.
“You want to get vaccinated, God bless you. I hope you make an informed decision,” Ladapo said. “You don’t want to get vaccinated, God bless you. I hope you make an informed decision. That’s how it should be.”
The announcement has sparked debate. Supporters praised Ladapo for defending personal freedom, while critics warned of public health risks. Dr. Richard Besser, former acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, called the idea of unvaccinated children attending school “absolutely frightening.”
Ladapo has frequently taken positions at odds with federal guidance, previously recommending against mRNA COVID-19 vaccines for people under 65 and allowing parents to decide whether to send unvaccinated children to school during a 2024 measles outbreak.
The announcement came as Gov. DeSantis unveiled the creation of the Florida Make America Healthy Again Commission, part of a broader effort tied to President Donald Trump and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s “Make America Healthy Again” initiative.
The state commission will be co-chaired by First Lady Casey DeSantis and Lt. Gov. Jay Collins, with members including Ladapo, Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary Shevaun Harris, and Department of Children and Families Secretary Taylor Hatch.
“The Florida MAHA commission will prioritize reforms that empower Floridians, reduce regulatory burdens, and hold actors accountable for their conduct, while fostering incentives for healthy living and innovation,” DeSantis said.
