TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – Health officials in Florida are ringing the alarm as confirmed measles cases continue to explode across the state. <\/p>\n
This comes as Florida\u2019s Department of Health (DOH) said it is considering removing mandatory vaccines.<\/p>\n
Under the proposal, Florida would eliminate school-entry mandates for four vaccines: Hepatitis B, chickenpox, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) and pneumococcal disease.<\/p>\n
The state recently ended its efforts to expand the exemptions for moral and ethical beliefs after pushback, leaving medical and religious opt-outs only. <\/p>\n
The rule still comes with a major shift by formally allowing parents to opt out of Florida\u2019s shot-tracking database and removing combined MMR doses to push for single doses instead.<\/p>\n
More Tallahassee news:<\/p>\n
Florida currently has 148 measles cases after only having 47 combined cases from 2016 to 2025. <\/p>\n
Dr. George Rust, a professor at Florida State University College of Medicine, explained what the future holds if this track continues.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnfortunately, we\u2019re about to run a really horrible experiment,\u201d Rust said. \u201cWhere we say, \u2018What if we lifted it?\u2019 and sadly we already know what that outcome is; we know because we know from history, people like me trained during a time when some of those vaccines weren\u2019t being used, and children died. And children had horrible suffering and outcomes.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Florida chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics warns that weakening the rules will weaken the herd community.<\/p>\n
The DOH will hold a public hearing on the proposed rule changes Oct. 8 in Lake Mary, before deciding to formally adopt the rules.<\/p>\n
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