Anti-Vaxxers Rejoice at Florida’s Scheme to End Vaccine Mandates for Kids and Everyone Else

On Wednesday afternoon, Florida surgeon wide Joseph Ladapo announced that he would advocator for ending each vaccine mandates successful nan state. This would include, among different things, nan extremity of vaccine requirements for children successful school. Within minutes of Ladapo’s announcement, members of a backstage anti-vaccine Facebook group called The Vaccine Free Child were rejoicing.

“Amen, extremity nan exertion of poison fixed to our precious children,” 1 personnel wrote, pinch different adding: “F yah! About time. Let nan gyration begin.”

“I shouldn’t person to inject my kids pinch poison because you’ve been brainwashed to unrecorded successful fear,” different personnel wrote, adding: “Hopefully much will travel Florida’s lead.”

Soon, group members from different parts of nan state expressed their desire to person akin measures successful their ain states. “I americium truthful jealous! I dream GA is next,” 1 personnel wrote, pinch different adding: “Ugh I wish Mississippi would do this but I don’t spot it happening.” Another added: "Hopefully VA follows suit.”

While galore members were celebrating, others were seeking aesculapian help. That aforesaid time successful nan group, 1 personnel was seeking proposal for treating whooping cough successful their child. Responses included various vitamin supplements and “onion socks.” (Some group believe, without evidence, that sliced onions held adjacent to nan assemblage sorb viruses and toxins.) Elsewhere successful nan group, members recommended an hourly administration of chlorine dioxide—a toxic bleach solution—to dainty a baby’s imaginable lawsuit of meningitis. The groups don’t conscionable boost anti-vaccine content; they besides dispersed unproven and often vulnerable aesculapian advice.

The outpouring of joyousness successful The Vaccine Free Child group echoed a celebratory temper online among nan anti-vaccine community.

“This is really you make America patient again. Will different states travel Florida's lead?” Children’s Health Defense, an anti-vaccine group founded by US wellness caput Robert F. Kennedy Jr., posted to its X account. Moments later, nan group hosted a unrecorded X Space pinch Dr. Memhet Oz, who heads up nan Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and Kennedy’s wife, character Cheryl Hines. (Oz didn’t talk nan announcement from Florida.)

While nan anti-vaccine organization celebrated, nationalist wellness experts slammed Florida’s decision, saying it will perchance endanger nan lives of children who will beryllium near unprotected from diseases for illustration measles, mumps, chickenpox, polio, and hepatitis—all of which tin beryllium prevented by safe, affordable vaccines.

“There is short-term harm arsenic this announcement unsocial will further undermine spot successful vaccines astir nan world,” says Alex Morozov, an oncologist who has overseen hundreds of supplier tests astatine aggregate companies including Pfizer.

For Natalia Solenkova, a Miami-based captious attraction expert who has been fighting anti-vaccine disinformation for years, Ladapo’s announcement and nan ensuing celebrations came arsenic nary surprise—and she believes nan result will beryllium conscionable arsenic predictable.

“Florida has been moving successful this guidance for respective years,” says Solenkova. “We cognize from history that earlier vaccines, children died from measles, polio, whooping cough, and different vaccine-preventable diseases. Without vaccines, children will dice again.”

With vaccination rates crossed nan US already dropping successful caller years, nan effect of Florida’s projected vaccine instruction prohibition could beryllium devastating. “Long-term, we don’t cognize nan impact. There is very small information connected what happens erstwhile mandates are lifted. That is nan threat of doing this truthful abruptly,” says Morozov. “Maybe vaccination rates will driblet by 10 percent? Or possibly by 50 percent? Nobody knows. Higher drops could lead to devastating epidemics.”