As of last week, the state of Florida called for the removal of the vaccine mandate. This mandate is scheduled to take effect within the next 90 days and would mean that children are not required to have vaccines for chickenpox, measles, mumps, and polio.

Florida Department of Health Surgeon Dr. Joseph Ladapo announced this and likened the current vaccine mandate to “slavery.”

“Who am I, or anyone else, to tell you what you should put in your body? Who am I to tell you what your child should put in their body? I don’t have that right.” Ladapo said at a news conference.

This mandate removal could further worsen confidence in vaccines and could lead to other states following suit.

Florida is already one of the states with the lowest percentage of immunizations, sitting at 87.5% whereas the nationwide average is 92%.

The removal of this mandate could have serious implications for Public Health. Florida Pediatrician Dr. Mona Admin told PBS that “…we are going to see a trickle effect that not only impacts the children who are in the school system, but the teachers and the communities.”

Not to mention that the removal of this mandate has more than just implications for public health, but could also limit access to vaccines for those who do want them.

Broward County Primary Care physician Dr. Jason Goldman told WUSF, “…if there isn’t an ability to pay for them and if the manufacturers don’t supply them, it’s going to decrease access.”

Goldman also reasons that if there are more hospitalizations for vaccine-preventable illnesses, it will take away care from patients who will need it.

It is important to note that these are all speculations, and the true implications won’t be apparent until the removal of the mandate is enforced in 90 days.