Florida Lifts Mandates on Select Vaccines in Schools
An announcement from Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo could reshape how public health is managed in this state. Last week, he announced plans to end vaccine mandates in Florida.
Central Florida Public Media reached out to the state health department for clarification on their latest guidance and which vaccines are included or excluded, particularly any changes affecting school or childcare immunization requirements. In their response, the department said that no rules have officially changed yet, but the state has started the process of removing four vaccines from the list of those mandated for children to get into school. Those vaccines are hepatitis B, Hib, pneumococcal, and chickenpox. The department says the focus is on medical freedom, and this update does not limit access to vaccines. All other vaccines required for entry into school in Florida remain in place including polio, mumps, and measles, unless that’s changed by the state legislature. The Florida Department of Health says parents are encouraged to consult with their health care providers when making decisions for their children.
Dr. Rana Alissa, a pediatrician and President of the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, urges parents to do the same. She joins Engage to discuss concerns about the impact of the proposed removal of four vaccine requirements.
Not everyone is alarmed by the changes. Mother of four Jessica Tillmann is chair of the Seminole County chapter of Moms for Liberty. She joins Engage to discuss her support for the Surgeon General’s push to eliminate vaccine mandates.
Orlando Trailblazer Mable Butler Dies
The Central Florida community is mourning the loss and honoring the legacy of a woman known as a matriarch of African American politics in Orlando. Mable Butler died on Saturday at 98 years old. Butler was the first Black woman elected to Orlando City Council and later the first Black member of the Orange County Board of Commissioners. The street she lived on since the early 1950s was renamed Mable Butler Avenue. Butler was one of only two people the Florida Civil Rights Museum chose to honor during their lifetime. Delaitre Hollinger, founding Co-Executive Director of the Florida Civil Rights Museum, joins Engage to discuss Butler’s impact on him and how she shaped Central Florida.
Honoring 9/11 with Service
The morning of September 11th, 2001, is a memory seared into the fabric of America today and a reminder that there are people willing to put their lives on the line to protect us. On September 11th, firefighters and police officers of New York made that sacrifice.
Today, they are being remembered by the Orlando Fire Department. The brotherhood of firefighters runs deep throughout every community in America. More than two dozen firefighters gathered this morning at City National Bank downtown to recreate the 110 floor climb New York firefighters committed to 24 years ago when they selflessly entered the two burning buildings of the World Trade Center. Engage Senior Producer Richard Copeland speaks with Orlando Fire Chief Charlie Salazar.
In the years since the terror attacks in 2001, September 11 has become a day of service. The Mission Continues is a veteran volunteer organization to help connect veterans with ways to continue their service in under-resourced communities. They’re hosting a United In Service in Remembrance of 9/11 project in Orlando Saturday. They’ll be building new planter boxes for students at Lion of Judah Academy in Pine Hills to grow fresh food. Kat Dobbs, Platoon Leader for The Mission Continues Orlando Platoon, joins Engage to discuss the mission. The volunteer event is from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, September 13, at Lion of Judah Academy on North Pine Hills Road in Orlando.
