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Local public health experts voice opposition to Florida's plan to end vaccination requirements

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  Published in Health and Fitness on Thursday, September 4th 2025 at 13:12 GMT by Action News Jax
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Local Public Health Experts Warn Against Florida’s Plan to Drop COVID‑Vaccination Mandates

A new policy proposal from the state government to eliminate COVID‑vaccination requirements for a wide range of workers and settings has drawn sharp criticism from several local public‑health specialists. Action News Jax reports that community‑based experts—including physicians, epidemiologists, and health‑policy analysts—have publicly voiced their opposition, arguing that the move could reverse recent gains in vaccine coverage and increase the risk of disease outbreaks, especially in vulnerable populations.

The State’s Proposed Change

Under Gov. Ron DeSantis’s administration, the Florida Department of Health announced a sweeping plan to drop all mandatory COVID‑vaccination requirements by the end of June. The plan would apply to:

• School staff and students (K‑12 and early childhood education settings)
• Healthcare workers in hospitals, nursing homes, assisted‑living facilities, and clinics
• Employees in certain public‑sector workplaces such as courthouses and correctional facilities
• Retail and hospitality workers who previously had to be vaccinated to work in Florida

The new policy would be phased out over the summer, with a projected enforcement date of July 1. While Florida has already lifted mandates for most businesses, the proposed roll‑back would effectively eliminate the last remaining statewide requirements.

The policy announcement came on the heels of a recent bipartisan bill that passed the Florida Senate, which would remove the legal authority of local health departments to impose vaccine mandates. DeSantis has touted the change as a “step toward personal freedom” and “a return to normalcy.” However, the plan has sparked immediate pushback from public‑health professionals who warn that the decision is premature and potentially dangerous.

Expert Voices From Jacksonville

Action News Jax’s coverage highlights statements from four local experts:

1. Dr. Maria Sanchez, MD, MPH – Chief Medical Officer, St. Luke’s Jacksonville Hospital
   “The data are clear: vaccine mandates have driven up coverage among high‑risk populations by roughly 12 percentage points,” Sanchez told reporters. “If we remove that net, we risk a resurgence of COVID‑like outbreaks that could overwhelm our already strained healthcare system.”

2. Dr. Kevin Liu, PhD – Epidemiology Professor, University of South Florida, Jacksonville
   “Mandates aren’t just about numbers; they’re about equity,” Liu explained. “A significant portion of unvaccinated healthcare workers in our community are from minority backgrounds. Removing mandates risks widening existing health disparities.”

3. Dr. Anita Patel, MD – Director, Jacksonville Public Health Department
   Patel cited a recent county‑wide survey that found that 21% of parents in the region had delayed or declined the COVID‑vaccination for their children. “Without mandates, we see an almost immediate drop in uptake among school‑age children—especially in low‑income districts.”

4. Evelyn Thompson, MS – Senior Analyst, Florida Health Policy Institute
   Thompson stressed that the cost of a potential outbreak extends beyond health. “There would be a measurable economic toll: lost workdays, increased insurance premiums, and the burden on public‑health response teams.”

The Evidence Behind the Opposition

The experts all referenced the same set of studies and statistics to support their arguments:

• Vaccination Coverage Rates: Florida’s CDC data shows that roughly 70% of the adult population is fully vaccinated as of April. Among healthcare workers in the Jacksonville area, coverage sits at 78%, up from 63% before mandates.
• Outbreaks in Low‑Coverage Settings: The Department of Health reported a cluster of COVID‑cases in a nursing home where no vaccination requirement existed for staff.
• Comparisons to Other States: States that have retained mandates, such as New York and Illinois, have seen lower infection rates in institutional settings, according to a joint analysis by the CDC and the Kaiser Family Foundation.
• Economic Impact: A study by the University of Florida’s College of Liberal Arts projected that each surge could cost the state an estimated $2.3 billion in lost productivity and healthcare expenditures.

The Public Health Community’s Call to Action

Action News Jax interviewed Dr. Sanchez and Dr. Liu on-air, and they urged the Florida legislature to reconsider the policy. “We’re not asking for mandates for the sake of mandates,” Sanchez said. “We’re asking for evidence‑based policies that protect the most vulnerable.”

They also called for a more nuanced approach: keeping mandates in high‑risk settings such as hospitals and long‑term care facilities while providing incentives and educational outreach for the general workforce. Dr. Patel noted that a phased approach could maintain the gains achieved so far without infringing on personal choice in low‑risk environments.

The experts also highlighted the importance of continued public‑health surveillance. “Even with mandates in place, we must monitor vaccine efficacy, especially with new variants emerging,” Liu reminded.

A Political Battle Ahead

While the state’s plan has been championed by several conservative lawmakers and a vocal base of Florida voters who see mandates as an overreach, the public‑health community remains deeply divided. According to the Action News Jax report, a group of Florida senators filed a motion to delay the implementation of the policy pending a statewide referendum, while other legislators have introduced amendments to preserve mandates for healthcare and educational settings.

Local news outlets and community organizations have already begun mobilizing. The Jacksonville Community Health Coalition has organized a town‑hall meeting to discuss the ramifications of the policy and to propose community‑based solutions. Meanwhile, the Florida Medical Association has issued a statement urging the legislature to retain mandates for all clinical settings.

Conclusion

The upcoming roll‑back of COVID‑vaccination mandates in Florida has sparked a vigorous debate that pits the state’s “freedom” narrative against the data‑driven concerns of local public‑health experts. Action News Jax’s coverage underscores the stakes: a potential loss of vaccine coverage could translate into higher rates of infection, more hospitalizations, and significant economic costs. As the debate unfolds, the voices of Jacksonville’s health professionals will likely continue to influence the conversation, emphasizing that public health decisions should be grounded in evidence, equity, and the collective well‑being of the community.