- Florida is set to become the first U.S. state to abolish all vaccine mandates, as announced by Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo and Governor Ron DeSantis.
- Surgeon General Ladapo controversially likened vaccine mandates to "slavery" while outlining plans to end requirements, including those long-standing for schoolchildren.
- The state's new policy push aligns with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s "Make America Healthy Again" agenda, with DeSantis establishing a commission to integrate its principles.
- Experts have raised concerns about Ladapo and Kennedy's history of promoting health misinformation, while studies confirm vaccine mandates significantly reduce the spread of preventable diseases.
- Florida's kindergarten vaccination rates declined from 93.5 per cent in 2020 to 89.8 per cent in 2024, with past drops correlating to increases in measles cases.
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