As Florida Governor Ron DeSantis moves to eliminate child vaccine mandates, South Carolina leaders are pursuing a different approach—one focused on restricting “novel” vaccine mandates. A new bill in the South Carolina Senate would block mandates for vaccines not fully approved by the FDA or on the market for less than 10 years, including those authorized under emergency use.
Supporters say the bill is about protecting medical freedom and preventing coercion, like they believe occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. Opponents, however, warn that tying the hands of public health officials could be dangerous. Governor Henry McMaster has weighed in, cautioning against restricting long-standing vaccine policies but encouraging full debate on new ones.
