Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo announcing Wednesday that Florida is planning to end vaccine mandate 2statewide.
This would make Florida the first state to end the 3long-standing 4practice of requiring certain vaccines for school students.
"In Florida, you have the right to be free. You have the right to make your own decisions. You can participate in society without having these 5unscientific 6dictates 7imposed upon you."
The announcement 8swiftly met with concern from health experts.
The Florida chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics saying in a statement, "This will put children in Florida public schools at higher risk for getting sick, which will have a 9ripple effect across our communities."
Florida Surgeon General 10making the case that vaccination should be an individual choice.
"That is a 11moral, 12ethical universe, not this nonsense where people who don't know you are telling you what to put in your temple."
But health experts contend that freedom of choice has the potential to impact others.
"We saw the 13measles 14outbreak this year — more cases than we've seen in 30 years, over 1,400 people sick, many hospitalized, and unfortunately some people that passed. We can decrease these by kids getting vaccinated."
