PLANT CITY, Fla. – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis reiterated his opposition to vaccine mandates during a news conference Monday, while emphasizing the importance of parental choice and persuasion over coercion.
“I’ve never been in favor of mandates. Let’s just be clear on that,” DeSantis said.
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The governor pointed out that many countries in Europe and Canada have no vaccine mandates yet show “pretty similar results” in vaccination outcomes.
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DeSantis criticized the approach of forcing vaccines through mandates, saying it has “weaponized” public health efforts.
He recalled how, during COVID-19, people were told they could not attend restaurants, sporting events, or schools without proof of an mRNA vaccine.
In July 2021, DeSantis acknowledged the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines, saying, “These vaccines are saving lives. They are reducing mortality.” He also emphasized the importance of vaccination by stating, “I can tell you that we’re going to end up having over 95% of folks that end up seriously ill from this point on are going to be people who are not vaccinated. And so, that’s the single most important thing that people can understand.”
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During Monday’s news conference, the governor also expressed concern about expanding mandates to childhood immunization schedules without a scientific basis. He also criticized medical discrimination where patients are denied care or surgeries for not having certain vaccines.
DeSantis highlighted the broken trust in the medical establishment caused by conflicting COVID policies, such as mask mandates for young children and lockdowns.
He praised Joseph Ladapo, Florida’s Surgeon General, for opposing lockdowns, school mask mandates, and forced mRNA vaccines, saying, “He was right on all those things.”
The governor stressed that providing accurate information and allowing parents to make informed choices is more effective than coercion.
“When given accurate information, I think they’re going to do what’s best for their kids,” he said, citing countries like Sweden and Canada as examples where no mandates exist but vaccination rates remain strong.