ORLANDO, Fla. – The announcement that Florida leaders will try to eliminate vaccine mandates in the state drew praise and criticism across the state.

Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo announced Wednesday that the state will move toward eliminating vaccine mandates, arguing that decisions about vaccination should be left up to individuals and families, not the government.

“Every last one of them is wrong and drips with disdain and slavery,” Ladapo said during his announcement. “Who am I as a government or anyone else to tell you what you should put in your body? Your body is a gift from God. What you put into your body is between your relationship with you and your God.”

The announcement drew swift criticism from medical professionals who warned that removing requirements could reverse decades of progress in preventing outbreaks of dangerous diseases.

Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics posted a statement on Facebook, saying such a move would put children at higher risk for getting sick, causing “a ripple effect across our communities.”

The American Medical Association also “strongly” opposed Florida’s announcement in a statement on Instagram.

“While there is still time, we urge florida to reconsider this change to help prevent a rise of infectious disease outbreaks that put health and lives at risk.”

Dr. Celine Gounder, a CBS News medical contributor, said the policy could put Florida’s most vulnerable children at risk.

“He is promoting a policy of sickness and death,” Gounder said. “I think this policy has the potential to kill children in Florida anywhere you see vaccination rates drop.”

She added that vaccine mandates have historically been critical in preventing diseases such as polio and measles from spreading.

“Look, vaccine mandates are why we don’t see polio in playgrounds and at the swimming pool or measles in classrooms anymore,” Gounder said. “You throw out the vaccine requirements and you are rolling back decades of progress.”

Currently, Florida requires children to be immunized against polio, measles, chickenpox and hepatitis B, among other diseases.

Some of those are required by Florida law and would require lawmakers to change the statutes. Others could be changed by a new Florida Department of Health rule.

The American Academy of Pediatrics, meanwhile, recommends additional vaccines, including RSV protection for infants under 18 months.

Republican state lawmakers were largely silent in response to the Ladapo announcement, while Democrats lashed out.

U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Orlando, called Ladapo’s decision “disgusting” and said in a statement, “Kids will die.”

State Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, said it was a “public health disaster in the making” on X.com.

Several Central Florida school districts, including Orange, Volusia, Sumter and Marion counties, said they will follow any directives issued by the state regarding vaccines.

However, Sumter County’s school superintendent, Logan W. Brown, supported the decision in a statement to News 6:

“I fully support Governor Ron DeSantis and Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo for their bold leadership in putting the rights of parents and the freedom of families ahead of government overreach. Ending vaccine mandates for school attendance is a major step in restoring personal liberty and respecting the values of everyday Floridians.

“For too long, bureaucratic mandates have chipped away at parental rights under the guise of public health. But here in Florida, we are fortunate to have a Governor who has consistently stood firm in defense of individual freedom and medical autonomy—especially when it comes to our children.

“In Sumter County, we believe that parents, not government agencies, should be the ultimate decision-makers when it comes to the health and well-being of their children. This move reinforces that belief and sends a clear message: we will not allow fear, politics, or pressure from federal entities to dictate how we raise and educate our students.”

It should be noted that Brown is the only superintendent in Central Florida who is elected by voters. He was elected last November and is a registered Republican.