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Ladapo claims that vaccine requirements

I respectfully suggest he brush the dust off his history books. Slavery was the violent deprivation of liberty and dignity endured by Black communities in the U.S. for eight generations. Freedom has never meant the absence of rules. We wear seatbelts, ensure clean water standards and enact smoking regulations because they protect lives. 

By framing vaccination as purely a personal choice, Ladapo sends an unmistakable message: vaccines are no longer the responsibility of public health. It’s now up to the individual. It’s a message erodes trust, weakens protection for vulnerable children and normalizes vaccine refusal — giving once‑defeated diseases a foothold to return.

Make no mistake: this is a political manoeuvre, not a public health measure. And its ripple effects will cross borders. Public health experts have called the move “dangerous and reckless.” Consider measles: Canada has already seen about 5,000 confirmed cases this year, — the largest outbreaks in both countries in decades.

Measles is so contagious that 95 per cent of children must be immunized to stop its spread. Dropping mandates in Florida will mean fewer vaccinated children, more outbreaks and more cases of potentially life‑altering or deadly diseases. Tetanus, diphtheria and polio remain deadly diseases. Rubella can cause permanent deafness, heart defects, and intellectual disabilities in newborns.

Public health is built on collective action. Wise regulations limit individual choice to keep societies safe and ensuring that children in schools are vaccinated is part of that. Even so, only Ontario and New Brunswick require proof of vaccination for school entry.

Both introduced mandates in the early 1980s after the U.S. experienced over 57,000 measles cases in the 1970s. When all 50 U.S. states adopted school immunization laws in 1980, measles cases dropped by 97 per cent. School vaccine mandates didn’t just protect against measles — they shielded children from multiple vaccine‑preventable diseases and, by extension, protected their families and communities.

Ontario and New Brunswick’s mandates worked well for over a decade. Unvaccinated children and those missing boosters quickly caught up, but religious and philosophical exemptions have since limited their effectiveness.

Without a doubt, compulsory vaccine policies can backfire, hardening opposition. That’s why most Canadian provinces focus on education, accessibility, and convenience. Offering vaccines in schools, on weekends, and in the evenings; sending personalized reminders; and ensuring vaccines are free are measures proven to boost uptake without coercion.

Florida, however, is dismantling a standard that’s been in place for over 40 years. It sends the signal that it’s acceptable for students to remain unvaccinated, which will embolden some parents to reject immunization, not out of medical necessity, but as a political statement. And politics, not science, will open the door for preventable diseases to return.

The implications for Canadians are real. Florida is edging toward becoming a hot spot for vaccine‑preventable diseases. Last year, 143 million visitors crowded into its airports, theme parks, and stadiums. Even then, the state lagged 4 per cent behind the U.S. average in kindergarten measles vaccination coverage. Whooping cough cases exploded .

It’s not hard to see where this is going. For Canadians travelling south, the advice is simple: make sure your vaccines are up to date before you go. This protects you, your family, and your community when you return.

Vaccines have saved millions of lives. They protect children’s right to learn and live safely. This safeguard is too vital to sacrifice on the altar of personal political gain.