Clinician, Parent Groups Alarmed as Florida Seeks to End Some Vaccine Mandates
By Alicia Ault
Florida may become the first state in the nation to remove some vaccination requirements for children to attend school, which has alarmed doctors and many parents’ groups.
The state health department is proposing that children will no longer need vaccination against Haemophilus influenzae type b, hepatitis B, varicella, and pneumococcal disease. The state also said it would broaden exemptions to include “moral or ethical beliefs” against vaccines. The proposal is now open for a 21-day public comment period.
If adopted, the proposal would translate to “increasing the risk that these preventable illnesses spread in our schools and communities,” said Rana Alissa, MD, president of the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, in a statement to Medscape Medical News. “Pediatricians have been clear that widespread childhood immunization helps keep children healthy and protects those who are most vulnerable,” said Alissa.
