Florida's Vaccine Mandate Dilemma: A Parent's Perspective

Tue Oct 21 2025 17:10:59 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

As Florida contemplates ending vaccine mandates for schoolchildren, parents express concern about the potential health risks for vulnerable children in the community.

With Florida's efforts to end vaccine mandates, parents like Cammi Norwood are grappling with the implications for their immunocompromised children. Health experts warn that such changes could lead to outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, raising fears among parents about the safety of public schools. This move aligns with a broader trend of vaccine skepticism championed by figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., leaving families caught in a tense debate over health and choice.

Cammi Norwood's son Mason was jumping with joy at the thought of starting public school next year in Palmetto, Florida.

The four-year-old, who was diagnosed with Stage 4 kidney disease at birth, has spent two healthy years without any hospital visits, and is eager to be in class with friends, Ms Norwood said.

But the 32-year-old mother is beginning to reconsider sending her immunocompromised son to school, after Florida's surgeon general last week announced he would try to end vaccine mandates in the state, including those for school children.

It's just scary, Ms Norwood said. If these kids aren't vaccinated … he can get very, very sick if someone were to come in with the measles.

Medical experts and some parents worry the surgeon general's move will threaten the health of vulnerable children like Mason, setting the stage for a new era of infectious disease, driven by lower vaccine rates.

Florida's surgeon general Joseph Ladapo has faced significant backlash for comparing vaccine mandates to slavery and arguing that parents should have the ultimate choice in vaccination.

Despite backing from Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, leading medical organizations oppose this initiative. Notably, a recent survey indicated that about 80% of parents in Florida desire vaccine requirements for public schools.

As vaccine exemptions rise, experts warn of increased outbreaks of preventable diseases in Florida. With the support of figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has raised concerns about vaccine safety, the path forward in public health appears uncertain.