Florida Parents React to End of School Vaccine Mandates

In late 2025, Florida made a major policy shift by announcing the end of school-based vaccine mandates. This change sparked interest in how parents and caregivers felt about vaccinating their kids. A team of researchers wanted to know if this announcement changed anyone's mind about getting their children vaccinated.

To find out, they surveyed 519 parents and caregivers living in Florida. All participants had at least one child in school and were 18 or older. The survey was done online in December 2025. People answered questions about their age, where they lived, their political views, and how hesitant they felt about vaccines.

The results showed mixed reactions. About 42% of parents said they were more likely to vaccinate their kids after the announcement. Another 38% said nothing changed for them. But 20% said they were now less likely to get their children vaccinated.

One key finding stood out. Vaccine hesitancy was the main factor that predicted how people responded. Parents who were already hesitant about vaccines were much more likely to say they would vaccinate their kids less. In fact, 44% of hesitant parents said they would vaccinate less, compared to only 13% of non-hesitant parents.

On the other hand, parents who were not hesitant were more likely to increase vaccination plans. About 50% of non-hesitant parents said they would vaccinate more, while only 16% of hesitant parents said the same. This shows that policy changes may not convince everyone. Instead, they often just strengthen what people already believe.