Rhianna Benson
Medics and politicians across Florida have issued a desperate plea this week, following the news that vaccine mandates for children set to attend school will be eradicated.
The plan was introduced on Wednesday (3 Sept) in a bombshell statement made by surgeon general Joseph Ladapo, who likened these vital vaccination mandates to 'slavery'.
In a Tampa news conference, he passionately hit out: "Every last one of them is wrong and drips with disdain and slavery.
"Who am I as a government or anyone else, or who am I as a man standing here now to tell you what to do with your body?"
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Ladapo - famed for previously having both opposed Covid-19 mitigation measures, and promoted misinformation surrounding the virus - went on to add: "People have a right to make their own decisions, informed decisions."
The mandate's end falls in line with the creation of a state level 'Make America Healthy Again', which was simultaneously announced on Wednesday (3 September) by Florida's Republican leader, Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Currently, children attending school in Florida must receive vaccinations for shots for measles, chickenpox, hepatitis B, Diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis (DTaP), polio, as well as a number of other potentially-fatal disease.
Right-wing leader DeSantis previously made sure Florida 'escaped' from needing to impose Covid-19 vaccinations on school children.
Of this 'achievement', the controversial politician previously said: "I don’t think there’s another state that’s done as much as Florida. We want to stay ahead of the curve."
Now, whilst Ladapo says that the 'Sunshine State's' Health Department is well within its rights to scrap rules on some vaccine requirements, some must be signed off by Florida Legislature to be brought to an end.
Several times during the speech, opting not to state which specific vaccinations he was referencing, the surgeon general stated several times that the aim was to eradicate 'all of them - every last one of them'.
If given approval, the move would see Florida become the first state to eliminate these important protective measures.
Understandably, a number of healthcare workers and politicians have been left horrified by the prospect of children attending school without having undergone imperative vaccinations.
One of these individuals is Democratic state representative, Anna Eskamani, who is currently in the running to become the mayor of Orlando.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), she hit out: "Ending vaccine mandates is reckless and dangerous.
"It will drive down immunisation rates & open the door to outbreaks of preventable diseases, putting children, seniors, and vulnerable Floridians at risk. This is a public health disaster in the making for the Sunshine State."
Also having spoken out is top Florida paediatrician, Dr. Lisa Gwynn, who told ABC that the eradication of vaccine requirements will likely result in devastating outbreaks of easily preventable diseases.
Speaking to ABC, she added that it isn't just school children that'll be put at risk, but 'newborn infants, elderly populations, and people with compromised immune systems, including those undergoing chemotherapy'.
"When children are in close contact in classrooms, that's a perfect storm for these types of diseases to spread," she went on.
"There are other ways parents can achieve choice for their children. As paediatricians, we work together with parents so they can make informed decisions."
Another disgruntled medic - and former acting director of the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention - Dr. Richard Besser also branded the prospect of mandates for vaccinations ending 'frightening'.
"As a paediatrician, and as a parent, it’s absolutely frightening, the idea that children could go to school and be unvaccinated," he continued.
"That puts them at risk and others around them who may have underlying medical conditions. That’s not what America’s about. In America, there are things we do to be part of a community."
In response to Florida's allegedly dangerous decision, left-wing leaders of Washington, Oregon and California have banded together in a bid to protect policies relating to healthcare, believing Republican front-man Donald Trump is attempting to politicise this arena.
Set up by Washington's Gov. Bob Ferguson, Oregon's Gov. Tina Kotek and California's Gov. Gavin Newsom, the partnership will see healthcare guidelines and vaccine plans aligned on the advice of respected national medical organisations.
Known as the West Coast Health Alliance, the trio will work together to issue joint advice on vital treatments and medications, whether or not they lean away from newly-implemented government policies.