Vaccine skepticism has surged across the United States, notably with Florida officials advocating for the removal of all vaccine mandates, including those required for schoolchildren. This initiative could potentially set a precedent for other states, risking a resurgence of childhood diseases that have long been under control.

“If I were a virus, I would throw a party right now,” warns Cynthia Leifer from Cornell University. “The potential removal of all vaccine mandates in Florida will allow diseases that have been kept in check for decades to rear their ugly heads again.”

Once sidelined, the anti-vaccine movement has gained significant traction in the U.S., particularly during and after the Covid-19 pandemic. Florida is a prime example of this shift. In 2022, it became the first state to advise against Covid-19 mRNA vaccinations for most children, a recommendation that has now been extended to everyone. Florida may soon become the only state to entirely eliminate vaccine mandates.

On September 3, Joseph Ladapo, Florida’s leading public health official, announced, “The Florida Department of Health, in partnership with the governor, is going to be working to end all vaccine mandates in Florida law. Every last one of them is wrong and drips with disdain and slavery.”

Just like every other U.S. state, Florida mandates vaccinations for numerous diseases before children can attend school. While the Florida Department of Health, under Ladapo, oversees these mandates, only state lawmakers have the authority to repeal all vaccine requirements.

Vaccine mandates have played a crucial role in establishing the U.S. as a leader in immunization rates, successfully keeping outbreaks of polio, diphtheria, and whooping cough at bay. The elimination of these mandates could jeopardize decades of public health initiatives, endangering lives. A 2024 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that childhood vaccinations saved nearly 1.13 million lives and prevented about 508 million infections among children born between 1994 and 2023.

“Vaccines have become a victim of their own success because people have stopped witnessing the suffering caused by vaccine-preventable diseases,” remarks Leifer.

Much of the resistance to vaccines stems from concerns regarding their side effects. However, studies indicate that these risks are significantly lower than the dangers posed by diseases. For example, the chance of developing myocarditis due to a Covid-19 infection is about seven times higher than from vaccination. Additionally, 1 in 1000 individuals who contract measles will develop dangerous brain infection, encephalitis, compared to just 1 in a million vaccinated children.

During a recent press conference, Ladapo did not provide scientific backing for the proposed removal of vaccine mandates, nor did the Florida Department of Public Health respond to inquiries regarding such justifications. Instead, he invoked a sense of personal liberty, stating, “Who am I as a man standing here now to tell you what you should put into 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.”

This rationale, however, overlooks the fact that more than half of the states, including Florida, already permit individuals to bypass mandated vaccines for religious reasons. In fact, sixteen states also allow exemptions for personal beliefs, and all states recognize medical exemptions.

It is challenging to predict how much immunization rates would plummet if school mandates were abolished. Conversely, evidence shows that strengthening mandates significantly increases vaccine uptake. For instance, when Maine eliminated both personal and religious exemptions for required vaccines in 2019, over 95% of school-aged children had received all mandatory shots by 2024, surpassing the herd immunity threshold for measles – a level at which most community members are protected against infection.

Currently, less than 89% of kindergarteners in Florida were vaccinated during the 2024-2025 school year. To achieve herd immunity, the state should be focused on enhancing immunization rates rather than undermining them.