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After Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo announced on Wednesday that the state will work to eliminate all vaccine mandates, public officials on both sides of the political aisle and even Ladapo’s own employer have condemned the move.
“Every last one of them is wrong and drips with disdain and slavery,” Ladapo, a longtime vaccine skeptic, said to a burst of applause. “Who am I 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 put in [their] body? I don’t have that right. Your body is a gift from God.”
Given that routine childhood vaccines have saved 154 million lives over the last 50 years, all 50 states require children to receive specific immunizations before attending public school, although some states, including Florida, allow for medical and religious exemptions. In 2025, just under 89 percent of students entering kindergarten in the Sunshine State were vaccinated.
Following Wednesday’s announcement, Miami congresswoman Frederica Wilson called for Ladapo’s removal as Florida surgeon general.
“Are we losing our minds?” Wilson wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “This is getting ridiculous and pathetic. Are we trying to kill millions of innocent children? Childhood vaccines save lives. Abolishing them is INSANITY. Governor DeSantis must either remove Joseph Ladapo as Surgeon General or have him resign.”
Are we losing our minds? This is getting ridiculous and pathetic. Are we trying to kill millions of innocent children? Childhood vaccines save lives.
Abolishing them is INSANITY.
Governor DeSantis must either remove Joseph Ladapo as Surgeon General or have him resign. pic.twitter.com/JznbC40EZC
— Rep. Frederica Wilson (@RepWilson) September 3, 2025
U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who represents parts of Broward County, called the decision “reckless.”
“We require vaccines because they keep all kids, schools, and communities safe,” she said on X. “Florida has seen spikes in infectious diseases like measles, diseases we had virtually eliminated before Ladapo took office. This decision is reckless and makes Floridians less safe.”
We require vaccines because they keep all kids, schools, and communities safe.
Florida has seen spikes in infectious diseases like measles, diseases we had virtually eliminated before Ladapo took office. This decision is reckless and makes Floridians less safe. https://t.co/EsJGAQtITo
— Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (@RepDWStweets) September 3, 2025
Since becoming the state’s chief public health official, Ladapo has espoused anti-vaccine views. He called on U.S. health officials to stop distributing the COVID-19 vaccine, claiming mRNA COVID-19 shots “are not appropriate for use in human beings.” During a measles outbreak at an elementary school in Weston, Ladapo broke with federal health guidelines and allowed parents of unvaccinated children to decide whether their children would stay at home.
Florida State Sen. Tina Polsky, who represents parts of Broward and Palm Beach Counties, called out Ladapo for seemingly flip-flopping on childhood vaccines. She pointed to a clip from his 2023 confirmation hearing where he admitted that the vaccine mandates were appropriate.
“Hey my Senate colleagues- you’ve been quiet today,” she wrote. “Any thoughts (or prayers) about this horror show? Remember when you ALL voted to confirm him after you knew he lied on scientific studies (amongst all the other quackery). Why don’t we stand together and not let this happen to our kids?
She tagged the Florida Senate Majority Office, Florida Senate Democrats, and Florida Senate in her post.
Hey my Senate colleagues- you’ve been quiet today. Any thoughts (or prayers) about this horror show? Remember when you ALL voted to confirm him after you knew he lied on scientific studies (amongst all the other quackery). Why don’t we stand together and not let this happen to… https://t.co/X1uf7ou5sC
— State Senator Tina Polsky (@TinaPolsky) September 3, 2025
Even GOP Sen. Rick Scott apparently pushed back, saying he doesn’t want to end immunization requirements.
“Florida already has a good system that allows families to opt out based on religious and personal beliefs, which balances our children’s health and parents’ rights,” Scott said, according to Politico reporter Gary Fineout on X.
Fla @SenRickScott – former GOP gov – says the state doesn't need to wipe out its immunization requirements. "Florida already has a good system that allows families to opt out based on religious and personal beliefs, which balances our children's health and parents' rights."
— Gary Fineout (@fineout) September 3, 2025
While Ladapo is a professor of medicine at the University of Florida (UF), UF Health, the university’s academic health center, released a statement emphasizing the safety and efficacy of vaccines.
“Public health and safety is a shared responsibility,” the statement reads. “The overwhelming consensus of the medical and public health communities shows that vaccines are among the most studied and scrutinized medical interventions in history. They are proven to be safe, effective, and essential in preventing the spread of many serious infectious diseases. Following evidence-based practices regarding vaccines and other care decisions are best made in consultation with your health care professional.”
DeSantis defended the announcement during an appearance on Fox News Wednesday night, explaining that the state believes in informed consent and parental rights.
“As a parent, you shouldn’t be penalized,” he told Laura Ingraham. “Right now in this country, you go in for a surgery, some places won’t see you if you haven’t had the COVID shot or certain immunizations. Some pediatricians discriminate based on whether you have done Hepatitis B or not, and that’s not informed consent when there are coercive impacts.”
Tonight, I joined Laura Ingraham on Fox News. pic.twitter.com/pK67IsBGt7
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) September 3, 2025
When the 2026 legislative session begins in January, the DeSantis administration will have to work with the state legislature to repeal the state statute requiring immunizations for children. Meanwhile, DeSantis says the surgeon general can roll back other vaccine requirements instituted by the Florida Department of Health.
