In line with Gov. Ron DeSantis’ efforts to empower Floridians to make the decisions that are best for them, he and Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo are working towards ending Florida mandates for vaccines. The effort has caused quite a flurry, with opponents using fear tactics and misinformation to fight back. But it’s important to clarify the effects of this change and how it restores the freedoms of parents and children in the state. Here is how Ladapo explained the decision:
‘Who am I, as a government, or anyone else — 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 your body?’ Ladapo said. ‘I don’t have that right. Your body is a gift from God...what you put into your body is because of your relationship with your body and your God.’
‘I do not have that right,’ he added. ‘Government does not have that right.’
Current mandated vaccines in Florida are poliomyelitis (polio), diphtheria, rubeola (measles), rubella, pertussis (whooping cough), mumps, and tetanus. To end some of the mandates, the Florida legislature must act.
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Of course, fear is the primary tactic that opponents of eliminating mandates are using:
Likewise, Florida House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell did not mince words when addressing the plan to eliminate the state’s vaccine mandates.
‘If this happened, Florida would be welcoming back child-killers like polio and measles with open arms,’ she said in an emailed statement. ‘Parents have flexibility and options already, removing these requirements means that thousands more kids will likely go unprotected, putting them, their families, and communities at unnecessary risk.’
In other words, your children will die if they aren’t vaccinated.
Others are using reason to try to persuade parents to have their children vaccinated, even if the mandate will no longer be in effect. They point to the millions of lives that have been saved over the years, and the benefits, too:
‘When everyone in a school is vaccinated, it is harder for diseases to spread and easier for everyone to continue learning and having fun,’ Dr. Rana Alissa, chair of the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said in an email. ‘When children are sick and miss school, caregivers also miss work, which not only impacts those families but also the local economy.’
But those fighting the elimination of mandates are clearly missing the point. Dr. Ladapo and Gov. DeSantis have much more faith in the average citizen than the protestors have. Both men realize this isn’t only about health and vaccination, but about personal choice. To support this work, a special commission has been formed, modeled after the federal approach to healthcare:
The state “MAHA” commission would look into such things as allowing informed consent in medical matters, promoting safe and nutritious food, boosting parental rights regarding medical decisions about their children, and eliminating “medical orthodoxy that is not supported by the data,” DeSantis said. The commission will be chaired by Lt. Gov. Jay Collins and Florida first lady Casey DeSantis.
“We’re getting government out of the way, getting government out of your lives,” Collins said.
We live in a time when we have seen our freedoms and choices eroded and removed, because others think they know what is best for our citizenry. In fact, there will likely be plenty of information available to Floridians, pro and con, so that they can make the wisest choice for their families. This effort is an opportunity to reinforce the importance of personal rights not just for Floridians, but to set an example for all Americans.