September 4, 2025
Dear Parents, Recently, Governor DeSantis has indicated his intention to try to eliminate vaccine mandates for children in Florida public schools. Pediatrics in Brevard strongly believes in the importance of vaccines to protect children from harmful infections and create a safe school environment for all children. We do not support attempts to roll back this very important public health policy because it would result in more hospitalizations and deaths of Florida children due to preventable diseases. We have no plans to change our vaccine policy at this time and will continue to educate parents and families on the need for public health measures such as immunization to protect every member of our community. The required school vaccinations have long been studied and shown to be safe and effective. We also believe that there are times when the public good should be prioritized over individual preference. Without this fundamental principle, humans would not be able to live peacefully in communities or societies. While there are exemptions and options for those who can not or will not accept vaccines, public health policies and mandates are needed to ensure the safety of everyone, especially our most vulnerable community members. Live Well, Pediatrics in Brevard