SHEA Comment on Florida Vaccine Mandates

Florida’s removal of vaccine mandates puts children at higher risk for preventable diseases such as measles, mumps, whooping cough, and chickenpox. The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) cautions that without these protections, more children will become infected and present to clinics and emergency departments, where they can spread illness to other patients, healthcare personnel, and especially immunocompromised individuals such as those undergoing cancer treatment, living with chronic conditions, or recovering from surgery. These vulnerable populations rely on safe healthcare environments for essential care and cannot be exposed to vaccine-preventable diseases. Vaccine requirements are a proven safeguard that protect not only children, but entire communities including those whose health depends on collective immunity from dangerous outbreaks. Strong immunization policies keep America healthy and help prevent our healthcare system from being overwhelmed. We urge all states to maintain vaccine mandates with appropriate opt-out provisions (i.e. religious objections, medical contraindications) to ensure the health and safety of our children, our healthcare workforce, and our most medically vulnerable citizens.