Florida Announces Updates to School Vaccination Policy Changes

It’s official: the Florida Department of Health is beginning to create the rule that will get rid of some vaccine mandates in Florida.

The agency filed a Notice of Development of Rulemaking on immunization requirements for public and nonpublic schools, grades preschool and kindergarten through 12, as well as adult education classes.

“The purpose is to update the immunization and document requirements for school entry, including DH 680, Florida Certification of Immunization, DH 681, Religious Exemptions for Immunization, and the Immunization Guidelines—Florida Schools, Childcare Facilities and Family Daycare Homes. The language and form for opting out of inclusion in Florida SHOTS will also be updated,” the notice reads.

The notice says a rule development workshop will happen if requested in writing and “not deemed unnecessary by the agency head.”

Anyone who wants more information about the rule development, including requesting a rule development workshop or getting a copy of the preliminary draft of the rule change, can email VaccineRule@flhealth.gov .

[WATCH: Florida’s plan to drop school vaccine rule won’t start for 90 days, won’t cover all diseases]

Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo has called for an end to all vaccine mandates in the state, and Gov. Ron DeSantis says he supports the move.

Florida Statutes have several vaccine mandates, particularly for school children. However, some vaccine mandates were created during the state rule process and can be removed the same way.

Those include:

• Varicella (chickenpox)

• Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)

• Pneumococcal conjugate (PCV15/20)

• Hepatitis B (Hep B)

The Florida Legislature would have to repeal any mandates specified by law.

For school children, that includes:

• DTAP (diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis)

• MMR (measles, mumps, rubella)

• Polio

Ladapo and DeSantis say it’s about parents having more freedom over their children.

“My assessment is that you know when you look at these things, and the balance of well, you know, do parents have the ability, should parents have the ability to determine what goes into their children’s bodies, should parents have the ability to determine what goes into their own bodies versus can a government authority?” said Ladapo.

[WATCH: Doctors fear ‘ripple effect’ of ending vaccine mandates in Florida]

Many Florida pediatricians and pediatric groups have decried the move, saying it will put children in public schools at higher risk for getting sick.