Florida's Vaccine Rule Change: What You Need to Know

Florida is making a big change to its school vaccine rules. Starting soon, kids won't have to get shots for chickenpox and a few other illnesses to go to school. But this change won't happen right away. It will take about 90 days to go into effect. This move is a big deal because it goes against what most people believe about vaccines. For a long time, scientists have said that vaccines are safe and the best way to stop diseases from spreading. But some people, like U. S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. , still have doubts. Florida's plan will remove the requirement for vaccines against hepatitis B, chickenpox, Hib influenza, and pneumococcal diseases, like meningitis. But other vaccines, such as those for measles, polio, and tetanus, will still be required unless the law changes. The state's health department said the rule change started on September 3, 2025. The public school year in Florida had already begun in August. Lawmakers won't meet again until January 2026, but committee meetings start in October. Dr. Joseph Ladapo, Florida's surgeon general, has been a big supporter of this change. He says parents should have the choice to decide what goes into their children's bodies. He believes in giving families the freedom to choose whether or not to vaccinate their kids. However, not everyone agrees with this decision. Dr. Rana Alissa, who leads the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, thinks making vaccines voluntary puts students and school staff at risk. She points out that this year has been the worst for measles in the U. S. in over three decades, with more than 1, 400 cases confirmed nationwide, most of them in Texas, and three deaths. Vaccines have saved millions of lives globally over the past 50 years, with most of those being infants and children. This makes the debate about vaccine mandates even more important.