APOPKA, Fla. — A major change to the nation’s childhood vaccine recommendations is raising questions for parents as children return to school, but the new federal guidance does not automatically change Florida’s vaccine requirements.

The new federal vaccine order reduces the number of diseases for which vaccines are recommended for all children and calls for the MMR vaccine to be split into three separate shots.

Dr. Cathy Franco, a pediatrician with the Community Health Centers, says she has followed recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics for the past 20 years.

“We follow their guidelines and their scheduling for vaccinations,” Franco said.

Current Florida guidelines require K-12 students to receive several vaccines, including hepatitis B, MMR and polio, with medical and religious exemptions available.

Community Health Centers operate 16 locations across Central Florida and provide vaccines regardless of whether patients have insurance.

“We offer the same care for patients who might, who are insured, but also who are underinsured and uninsured,” Franco said.

Dr. Kelly Moore, formerly with the CDC and now CEO of Immunize.org, says the order does not significantly change how people receive vaccines.

“Although this new executive order was alarming or upsetting to some people, it actually doesn’t change anything about how people receive their vaccines around the country,” Moore said.

Any changes to Florida’s requirements would have to come through the state.

Moore says the MMR vaccine is not ready to be separated because separate measles, mumps and rubella vaccines are not currently available in the United States.

“There are not separate vaccines available in this country. So, we only have the MMR vaccine. But there’s no reason to change that. The vaccine is very, very well studied, and we should reassure everyone that it’s safe,” Moore said.

Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo has previously been outspoken about changing the state’s vaccine requirements.

“The Florida Department of Health, in partnership with the governor, is going to be working to end all vaccine mandates and for the long haul,” Ladapo said.

Florida’s leaders have continued to push for changes to vaccine requirements, but the state’s school mandate remains in place.

Some of those requirements have been in place for nearly 50 years.

“You know, I think Florida is interesting because there were such there’s such talk about vaccines and vaccine policy, but at the end of the day, nothing changed,” Moore said.

Earlier this year, Senate Bill 626 was introduced that would have changed the list of diseases for which vaccines are required for school attendance.

The bill died in the Senate in March.