Florida signals rollback of childhood vaccine mandates in public schools

Florida officials published a rule to roll back four vaccine requirements for public school children, allowing attendance without immunizations for chickenpox, hepatitis B, Hib, and pneumococcal disease; the move, led by Surgeon General Ladapo and aligned with Governor DeSantis’ stance on vaccines, comes amid a broader post‑pandemic push among some Republicans to limit vaccine mandates, drawing criticism from public health advocates who warn it could weaken herd immunity.