Florida Legislature to vote on bill easing childhood vaccine exemptions

16 articles · Updated · Mother Jones · Apr 28

The proposed bill would permit parents to claim vaccine exemptions for their children based on personal conscience, not just medical or religious reasons, potentially affecting diseases like measles, polio, and tetanus.
Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo, whose unconventional views on public health have shaped state policy, is a key driver behind this effort. The vote follows renewed Republican attempts to eliminate vaccine mandates after previous efforts stalled.
Florida currently has the fourth-highest measles case count in the US, with 153 cases in the past two years, amid a nationwide surge. Passage of the bill could further increase exemption rates and impact public health.

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