LAKE MARY, Fla. — Supporters and opponents of Florida’s proposal to remove four school and child care vaccine requirements shared their views at a public hearing Thursday at the Orlando Marriott Lake Mary.
The proposal would remove requirements for vaccines against chickenpox, hepatitis B, pneumococcal infections and Haemophilus influenzae type b, commonly called Hib.
Justin Harvey, a health freedom advocate with Stand for Health Freedom, supports removing the requirements. In an interview ahead of the hearing, he said parents should make vaccination decisions for their children.
“You can line up all the doctors and studies on each side of the argument. But the bottom line is that vaccination is a form of medication, and all medication comes with risk. So if there’s risk, we have to give parents the choice,” Harvey said.
At Thursday’s hearing, Harvey reiterated his support for the changes, arguing that people should have a choice about vaccination.
The Florida chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics opposes the proposal. Its president, Dr. Jennifer Takagsihi, said those decisions can affect people beyond a child’s family.
“We want parents to have the choice to keep their kids healthy. But some of these diseases are not only dangerous for their children, but to people around them as well. And so their choice not just affects their family, but lots of other people,” Takagsihi said.
She said the vaccines protect against diseases that can cause serious complications, including liver disease, pneumonia and meningitis. She also explained that some of these diseases can spread before symptoms appear, allowing people to infect others without knowing they are sick.
Dr. Sarah C. Nosal spoke against the proposed changes at the hearing, saying the vaccines remain important for children’s health.
“Weakening school entry requirements send a message that these vaccines are no longer important. These four vaccines were not selected because the evidence changed. They’re still vital protecting children’s health,” Nosal said.
Thursday’s hearing agenda included a rule review and public comments. A final decision was not listed on the agenda.