Currently, lawmakers in Florida are attempting to repeal long-standing school vaccine requirements that have protected children and communities for generations. For more than 200 years, beginning with Dr. Edward Jenner, vaccines have been proven safe and effective. Mass vaccination has demonstrated a profound impact on public health by reducing the spread of dangerous diseases through herd immunity.

Removing school vaccine requirements would put children, families, and entire communities at risk. This petition calls on lawmakers to preserve these critical protections—keeping schools healthy and children safe well into the future. 

Petition Details 
Florida’s leaders are moving to repeal all vaccine requirements, including those for schoolchildren. If this happens, Florida will become the first state in the nation to eliminate these basic public health protections, which will put kids, families, and communities at risk of preventable disease outbreaks.  

Why this matters: 

• Florida’s vaccination rates have already dropped below the 95% needed for herd immunity.
• Outbreaks of preventable diseases would especially endanger children, seniors, and those with compromised immune systems.
• As a global travel destination, Florida’s health decisions affect not only residents but the entire nation. 

We are calling on Governor Ron DeSantis, the Florida Legislature, and Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo to: 

• Keep existing vaccine requirements for schools and childcare in place.
• Protect families and vulnerable populations from preventable illness.
• Prioritize public health. 

Add your name today to demand that Florida’s leaders stand up for science, safety, and our children’s future. 

Learn more: 
Vaccines are one of the most successful public health tools in history. They not only protect the person who gets vaccinated but also help protect those who can’t, such as newborns, cancer patients, and people with weakened immune systems. This is called herd immunity. 

If you want to learn more about vaccines and herd immunity, please use the credited resources below. 

• CDC – How Vaccines Work
  • https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/why-vaccinate/vaccine-decision.html
• World Health Organization – Vaccine Safety Basics
  • https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/vaccines-and-immunization-what-is-vaccination
• Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia – Vaccine Education Center
  • https://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/vaccine-education-center
• Johns Hopkins – Herd Immunity Explained
  • https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2020/herd-immunity-and-covid-19-what-you-need-to-know