Florida to recommend against vaccinating healthy kids against COVID, state surgeon general announces


Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo announced Monday that his state would be breaking with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and advising against COVID-19 vaccination for healthy children ages 5 and older, The Miami Herald and Politico report.
The decision was announced during a roundtable with Ladapo, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), and "medical professionals who oppose much of the CDC's recommendations," Politico notes.
Ladapo did not elaborate on the choice, though he did say his recommendation will be the first of its kind in the country, write Politico and the Herald. Per The Associated Press, it's not immediately clear when Florida might formalize the guidance.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The Sunshine State's surgeon general has previously been "an outspoken critic of pandemic-era safety measures such as quarantines, wearing face masks, and vaccines," writes Politico. His approach and strategy toward the pandemic match that of DeSantis.
University of Florida professor and former CDC infectious disease specialist Dr. Sonja Rasmussen told AP she's worried Ladapo's latest guidance might undermine recommendations from other health officials.
"I'm really concerned that this is going to make parents question what they are hearing from every other source — pediatricians, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the CDC,'' Rasmussen said.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
Laura Lippman's 6 favorite books for those who crave a high-stakes adventure
Feature The Grand Master recommends works by E.L. Konigsburg, Charles Portis, and more
-
Book reviews: 'Bad Company: Private Equity and the Death of the American Dream' and 'Desi Arnaz: The Man Who Invented Television'
Feature Private equity and the man who created 'I Love Lucy' get their close-ups
-
Can Texas redistricting save the US House for the GOP?
Today's Big Question Trump pushes a 'ruthless' new plan, but it could backfire
-
SCOTUS greenlights mass DOE firings
Speed Read The Supreme Court will allow the Trump administration to further shrink the Education Department
-
Cuomo announces third-party run for NYC mayor
Speed Read He will go up against progressive Democratic powerhouse Zohran Mamdani and incumbent Mayor Eric Adams
-
Secret Service 'failures' on Trump shooting
Speed Read Two new reports detail security breakdowns that led to attempts on the president's life
-
Trump set to hit Canada with 35% tariffs
Speed Read The president accused Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney of failing to stop the cross-border flow of fentanyl
-
Mahmoud Khalil files $20M claim over ICE detention
Speed Read This is the 'first damages complaint' brought by an individual targeted by the Trump's administration's 'crackdown' on Gaza war protesters
-
Trump threatens Brazil with 50% tariffs
Speed Read He accused Brazil's current president of leading a 'witch hunt' against far-right former leader Jair Bolsonaro
-
AI scammer fakes Rubio messages to top officials
Speed Read The unknown individual mimicked Rubio in voice and text messages sent to multiple government officials
-
SCOTUS greenlights Trump's federal firings
speed read The Trump administration can conduct mass federal firings without Congress' permission, the Supreme Court ruled