Florida’s new proposal to eliminate all school vaccine standards is a dangerous move. It is raising alarm among health experts, providers, business groups, educators, and even many conservative leaders. If enacted, Florida would become the only state in the nation to eliminate vaccine standards for school attendance. Make no mistake, if Florida’s elected leaders pass this legislation, it has the potential to trigger disease outbreaks not seen in decades. Under the proposal, long-standing standards for vaccines that prevent measles, chickenpox, pneumonia, meningitis, and other childhood illnesses would be discarded, dismantling a system that has protected generations of our children and enabled schools to remain safe and healthy environments for learning. Floridians are paying attention, and they overwhelmingly oppose this plan. According to a recent statewide survey, nearly 70% oppose the plan, including strong majorities of Democrats, nonpartisans, and Republicans alike. Significantly, 78% of Florida voters share President Trump’s concern that eliminating vaccine standards could be dangerous a rare point of bipartisan agreement. Voters across every age group and every region of the state are signaling the same message: removing these standards goes too far, puts children at risk, and undermines Florida’s public health. Vaccines are one of the most effective medical tools ever developed. They are the reason Florida no longer sees classrooms shut down due to measles outbreaks, children paralyzed by polio, babies dying from whooping cough, or infants as young as one week old suffering from meningitis. Yet those successes depend on consistently high vaccination rates, which are currently sliding in the wrong direction. Across Florida, pediatricians are seeing the consequences of lower vaccination rates firsthand. Pertussis, or whooping cough, has surged dramatically. As of October, Florida has recorded nearly 1, 300 cases, nearly triple the number from the same period last year. Infants with pertussis often cannot breathe on their own. Some require intubation, and others need machines to keep their hearts and lungs functioning. Survivors may face long-term complications, including respiratory damage and developmental delays. The Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (FCAAP) has been clear: eliminating school vaccine standards is a dangerous step backward for our state. When children are not vaccinated, diseases spread more quickly, especially in schools, daycares, and community spaces filled with children too young to be vaccinated or whose immune systems are too fragile to handle infection. The broader implications are significant. Schools could once again become ground zero for outbreaks of measles, whooping cough, meningitis, and even polio. Families could face increased medical costs, missed work, and prolonged hospitalizations for preventable illnesses. Pediatric ICUs, which are already stretched thin, could see unnecessary surges of critically ill children. State officials will now move through rulemaking and legislative consideration for certain vaccines. These decisions carry enormous health implications and will shape Florida’s health and economic landscape for years to come. As lawmakers and agency leaders weigh their next steps, they must acknowledge the overwhelming data, public sentiment, and medical guidance urging them to reconsider this proposal. Pediatricians will continue to educate families, answer questions, and administer vaccines. But this is an all-hands-on-deck situation. We cannot maintain community protection alone. We need state and local leaders to work with us, not against us, to protect Florida’s children. Florida voters oppose eliminating vaccine standards. Public health experts oppose it. Pediatricians, other specialists, and providers oppose it. Even national conservative voices are expressing concern. The path forward is clear: Florida must preserve school vaccine standards to ensure that our children can grow, learn, and thrive. Our state cannot afford to gamble with preventable disease. The price is far too great. ___.
https://floridapolitics.com/archives/767198-rana-alissa-floridas-dangerous-move-to-end-school-vaccine-standards/
