As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices meets in Atlanta over the next two days, local pediatricians are still wondering what changes to the Florida vaccine mandate could mean.
"It took a long time, and we are going to lose a lot of lives, but a long time to properly immunize people again. We didn't get to this point in humanity 10 seconds after vaccines were invented, it's taken decades to get everybody immunized, so that we can all be safe," says Dr. Greg Savel, a pediatrician in Clearwater.
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Questions remain following Governor DeSantis and Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo's announcement that the state would be moving to end all vaccines.
In an interview on Dr. Mary Talley Bowden's YouTube channel, Dr. Ladapo states this change is focused on rebuilding trust within the community.
"If you want people to trust you, you can't force them to do things. I mean, you can have one or the other, but you can't have both," Ladapo said.
One of the biggest questions is if the recommendations were to change at the CDC, would insurance companies still cover vaccines for families?
"If changes are made to their recommendations, it could mean that insurance companies could say that we're really not gonna cover things. So even if you wanted your child to have a vaccine, it wouldn't be paid for by your insurance company, and that's really dangerous for our kids in our community," says Dr. Rachel Dawkins, a pediatrician in St. Petersburg.
Both Dawkins and Savel say, if you have questions about vaccines, reach out to your pediatrician.
"I believe that parents want to make the best decisions for their kids, and it's their job to keep their kids safe and healthy, and it's my job as a pediatrician to do the same. And so, we really wanna work together with families, to make sure that happens," says Dr. Dawkins.
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