On March 7, Florida became the first state in the country to advise against vaccinating healthy children for COVID-19, according to an announcement made by Dr. Joseph A Ladapo, the State’s Surgeon General.

“Already, the rates were low. So, we’re kind of scraping at the bottom of the barrel, particularly with healthy kids, in terms of actually being able to quantify with any accuracy and any confidence, the infinite potential of benefit,” said Ladapo. He suggested that new data showed that Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine protection declined quickly in children ages 5 to 11 years old.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis also questioned whether children should be getting the vaccinations, citing Florida’s recent effort to get rid of vaccine mandates in schools.

“We have this issue in terms of COVID-19 vaccinations with respect to children. And in Florida, we prohibited mandating COVID vaccines for children, so they can go to school, and it’s a parent’s decision,” said DeSantis. “A lot of parents have come up to me, and they’re just like, ‘Yeah, thanks for not mandating, we want to make the decision,’ but they have mixed feelings about whether they should do that even if it is their choice.”

In a statement to The Dallas Express, The Immunization Partnership expressed disapproval of the decision, noting they will continue to recommend and follow the latest prevention guidelines as stated by the CDC.

“Vaccines are meant to be given before someone gets sick to help prevent or mitigate illness or even death,” the organization said. “The Surgeon General of Florida is out of step with hundreds of scientists and medical experts supporting children being protected against COVID-19. Parents should talk to their children’s pediatrician for advice and guidance if they have any concerns.”

The Dallas Express also reached out to Texans for Vaccine Freedom (TFVF) for a statement on the situation in Florida.

“Deciding whether to vaccinate or not is a private medical decision that should remain free from government influence,” said Jackie Schlegel, executive director of TFVF. “Florida is making the right move by leaving it up to the parents to decide whether their child should receive the COVID-19 vaccine. After all, parents know their child’s needs better than the government.”