Why do some lawmakers believe in “old school” vaccines but fear modern ones? We preview a state meeting where health officials will consider abolishing four mandatory school vaccinations — chickenpox, hepatitis B, Hib and pneumococcal vaccines. The Department of Health workshop is being held Friday in a remote part of the state but is expected to be well attended by doctors, educators and child health advocates who oppose the move. The DeSantis administration has moved aggressively to roll back vaccine mandates in the state, with the state surgeon general comparing school immunization requirements to slavery. That comes even as state lawmakers like Senate President Ben Albritton express support for “old school vaccines” like measles, mumps, polio, rubella, tetanus and others mandated in state statutes. We talk to three state experts about what the Health Department changes could mean and how you can get involved.

Guests:

• Dr. Ali Kasraeian, immediate past president of the Duval County Medical Society
• Dr. Nancy Staats, anesthesiologist and vaccine advocate
• Dr. Frederick Southwick, hospitalist and infectious disease specialist

Then, searching for the strange and supernatural. The practice of “Legend Tripping” gains new acolytes on social media and has prompted renewed interest in places infused with spooky lore. We get a local guide to the strange but (mostly) true narrative of Northeast Florida’s hallowed and haunted spaces by the author of Secret Jacksonville: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure.

Guest: Bill Delaney, author, co-founder of The Jaxson, Jacksonville City Council liaison

And, the largest Christmas tree in the region is part of a holiday venue featuring Santa, ice skating and all the trimmings. We meet the organizers behind the Ancient City Christmas Experience, now celebrating its second year in the county’s northwest region.

Guest: Brooke Edmondson, director of events and venue operations, Ancient City Farmstead