TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – There’s mixed reaction among Floridians following Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo’s push to end vaccine mandates.

One person against this new push is Dr. Scott Rivkees, who was state Surgeon General from 2019 to 2021 with the DeSantis Administration.

“From a public health, medical, and view as a parent, this is a sad day for Florida,” Rivkees said.

The former state health official is now a professor at Brown University in Rhode Island. Rivkees questions the purpose of the state’s push for vaccine mandate elimination.

“We have children wear seatbelts, children in booster seats, children go to school and having children get vaccinated protects children,” Rivkees said.

On Wednesday in Hillsborough County, the DeSantis Administration said this effort is about giving par

See Full Page