Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo said on Sept. 3, 2025, at a press event in Valrico that the Florida Department of Health is working with Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office to eliminate all state vaccine mandates, a change officials say will be implemented immediately in some cases and pursued through the legislature for others.
Key Takeaways
- On Sept. 3, 2025, Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo announced plans to end vaccine mandates in Florida.
- The announcement was made at Grace Christian School in Valrico, near Tampa; DeSantis’ office is involved.
- Current Florida school-entry vaccine requirements include DTaP, polio, MMR, Tdap and varicella doses, with religious exemptions allowed.
- Health experts, including Dr. Richard Besser, warned the move could increase disease risk for children and medically vulnerable people.
- Some mandate removals are said to be immediate; others will require legislative changes.
- Public-health studies note vaccines have prevented millions of deaths and hospitalizations globally and in the U.S.
- The announcement adds to a growing divergence in state vaccine policies, while California, Oregon and Washington formed a West Coast Health Alliance for consistent guidance.
Verified Facts
Joseph Ladapo, Florida’s surgeon general, spoke at a Sept. 3 press conference and stated the state will work to end what he described as mandatory vaccination requirements. He said some actions can take effect without new legislation, while other changes will need bills or rulemaking.
Florida currently requires children entering kindergarten through 12th grade to receive a series of routine immunizations: four or five doses of DTaP, four or five doses of polio vaccine, two doses of MMR, one dose of Tdap and at least two doses of varicella unless prior infection is documented. The National Conference of State Legislatures notes Florida permits religious exemptions for school immunization requirements.
Public-health research referenced in coverage shows major historical impacts from vaccines: a 2024 multi-study estimate led by the World Health Organization found roughly 154 million lives saved by vaccination over the last 50 years, with about 101 million of those lives being infants. That analysis also identified the measles vaccine as responsible for a substantial share of infant lives saved.
During the 2020–2022 period, analyses of the U.S. COVID-19 vaccination program estimated prevention of millions of hospitalizations and deaths; one nonprofit analysis cited prevention of more than 18.5 million hospitalizations and roughly 3.2 million deaths from December 2020 through November 2022.
| Vaccine | Typical Doses Required |
|---|---|
| DTaP | 4–5 doses |
| Polio | 4–5 doses |
| MMR | 2 doses |
| Tdap | 1 dose |
| Varicella | ≥2 doses or prior infection |
Context & Impact
If enacted, removing state-level mandates could shift responsibility for vaccine decisions more fully to parents and local institutions. Public-health officials warn that declines in vaccination coverage are typically followed by increases in vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks.
Governor DeSantis signaled a mixed approach: some mandates may be rescinded by executive direction or agency action, while others will need changes to state law. That creates uncertain timing and a potential for legal challenges and policy disputes in the legislature.
Experts say the policy change could create a patchwork of rules across the U.S. where some states maintain school-entry mandates and others move to parental choice models. The West Coast Health Alliance of California, Oregon and Washington has said it will offer shared, evidence-based guidance in contrast to states taking different paths.
Official Statements
“Every last one of them is wrong,” said the surgeon general at the press event, criticizing mandates as coercive.
Joseph Ladapo, Florida Surgeon General
“As a pediatrician, and as a parent, it’s absolutely frightening,” said Dr. Richard Besser, warning of increased risk if children attend school unvaccinated.
Dr. Richard Besser, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Unconfirmed
- Precise list of which specific mandates will be revoked immediately versus which require legislation was not detailed at the event.
- Exact timeline for rescinding rules or for proposed legislative measures was not provided by state officials on Sept. 3.
- Long-term effects on vaccination rates and disease incidence in Florida remain to be seen and will depend on implementation and public response.
Bottom Line
Florida’s announced effort to end vaccine mandates marks a significant state-level policy shift with potential public-health consequences. The scope and timing of changes are partly unclear: some actions may be immediate while others will move through the legislature, and public-health experts urge careful consideration of risks to children and medically vulnerable populations.