Nonprofit group Louisiana Families for Vaccines voice concerns over proposed bills
WBRZ, April 29, 2024
"Ultimately, disinformation is deadly and it deserves no hospitality of the legislature floor," vaccine advocate Crystal Rommen said. "A lot of the legislation that we're seeing come through the House and the Senate are trying to limit access to vaccines. We see things that are based in misinformation."
One bill, HB 866, will allow for individuals to submit vaccine exemptions to allow them access into any public facility regardless of their vaccination status.
"Louisiana has one of the broadest vaccination exemption policies in the nations. We have non-medical exemptions including religious and philosophical. Of course, we also have medical exemptions for people who truly can't be vaccinated," Rommen said.
Pediatrician Mikki Bouquet says the legislature should be recommending vaccines to promote a healthier state.
"We need strong public policies that are evidence-based that state vaccines are safe, effective and healthy," Bouquet said.
Baton Rouge doctors express concern over measles outbreak, emphasizing vaccine
WAFB, March 4, 2024
National health experts are monitoring a measles outbreak and local experts are keeping a close eye on cases nearby. Doctors are encouraging people to get their vaccines after two confirmed cases came out of the Greater New Orleans area.
The Food and Drug Administration said measles is one of the most contagious respiratory diseases in the world that has the potential to be life-threatening.
It is still common in many countries and spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
Louisiana may expand school vaccine exemptions for students. Here's how it would work.
nola.com, March 21, 2024
Currently, Louisiana law says that a person starting school or daycare should present administrators evidence of immunization against a list of vaccine-preventable diseases, which is overseen by the state health department.
However, the law dictates that a student seeking to enter a school or daycare is not required to comply with those immunization requirements.
Louisiana has some of the broadest exemptions in the country. Parents can submit a written exemption request for religious, medical, personal reasons, or even no reason at all.
Parents or guardians are required to submit the exemption paperwork to the school’s principal or daycare operator and all requests are granted, according to the Louisiana Department of Health.
If there’s an outbreak of a vaccine-preventable disease, Louisiana’s law allows school administrators to require unimmunized students to stay home during the disease’s incubation period.
Though exemptions are available, the health department says it strongly encourages students to receive vaccinations to prevent death and disability and prevent disease outbreaks. Vaccines are safe and can prevent deadly infectious diseases, LDH says.
Louisiana House rejects anti-vax bill after business lobby opposes it
LA Illuminator, March 20, 2024
Louisiana lawmakers rejected a bill to open businesses and schools who require certain vaccines to civil liability after a powerful lobbying group came out against it.
House Bill 87, by Rep. Mike Echols, R-Monroe, would have allowed employees and students required to receive COVID-19 or other vaccines with emergency use authorization to sue if they are injured as a result of the vaccination.
Echols’ bill failed on a narrow 51-50 vote, just two votes short of approval. Echols said he intends to bring the bill back for another vote this session.
His proposal was opposed by the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI), a powerful lobbying organization that represents business interests.
“LABI opposes HB 87 as anti-business and harmful to the long-established purpose of workers compensation throughout the country. [Worker’s compensation] is employees’ exclusive remedy for their workplace injuries,” LABI lobbyist Jim Patterson wrote in a floor note to legislators. “HB 87 cracks that foundation and would create a new pipeline of litigation against Louisiana businesses. The bill sends the wrong message to current and prospective employers when our state leaders are working to encourage economic investment in our state.”
RSV can be deadly for children and the elderly — but there’s a way to reduce the risk
The Current, January 5, 2024
…the night before Christmas Eve, they realized the 4-month-old couldn’t breathe. Seeing her baby’s stomach cave in as he struggled to fill his lungs with air, the family rushed Owen to the hospital.
“It was absolutely terrifying,” remembers Guidry, who said she knew little of Respiratory Syncytial Virus, or RSV, and how it could affect small children.
RSV kills thousands of adults and hundreds of infants each year in the United States, and until this fall, there was no vaccine to prevent it or lessen the risk to patients who contract the virus. This season marks the first time a vaccine has been made widely available, but it’s unclear how many patients are willing to accept the potentially life-saving measure.
Hebert is hopeful that in future RSV seasons, patients might be more open to trying the vaccine, as it becomes more established. Despite lingering hesitancy, she said she’s noticed some comfort around vaccines returning. “I think people are remembering what an opportunity vaccines are, that we get to protect our bodies against these diseases that used to disable and kill ancestors of ours,” she said.
Two measles cases diagnosed in New Orleans area: Answers to your FAQs
Louisiana Illuminator, February 22, 2024
Two people in the Greater New Orleans area have been diagnosed with measles, the Louisiana Department of Health reported Wednesday.
Both individuals recently returned from a trip out of state, according to state health officials who said a public health investigation has been initiated. The two people were not vaccinated against measles, the health department reported Thursday…
Measles is so highly contagious that the CDC says 90% of unprotected people who come in contact with someone who has the virus will catch it. The risk is far lower for those who have received the measles vaccine. They have only a 3% chase of contracting the virus, and their symptoms will be far less severe.
Should you worry about measles in Louisiana? Here's what to know
nola.com, February 22, 2024
Two measles cases were diagnosed in children in the New Orleans metro area this week, the latest addition to a surge of cases across the United States. Both had a history of recent travel within the U.S.
Information about whether the children are related or their possible exposure to others in Louisiana has not been released.
As Louisiana health officials conduct a public health investigation, here's what you should know about extremely contagious virus.
Louisiana had been strong on school vaccines. Rates are now falling.
The Current, September 11, 2023
The consequences can be severe, he said. Out of 1,000 children infected, 1-2 are statistically going to die from the disease.
An outbreak of a disease that has been largely eradicated due to high levels of vaccinations poses another challenge.
“There’s no healthcare system in the U.S. that is prepared for a mass outbreak of measles or polio. A lot of younger physicians have never seen a case,” Kanter said.
And despite his concerns, Kanter said Louisiana’s numbers were still strong, leaving him with the hope that things may improve again.
“There’s not a lot of things that 94% of people in Louisiana agree on,” Kanter said, referring to the percentage of kindergarten students statewide who received the measles vaccine in the first school year post-pandemic.
“Vaccines retain widespread support,” he said. “The overwhelming majority of families take their physician’s advice to heart and take reasonable measures to protect their children.”
Their kids got the flu — then they couldn’t walk
The Current, December 15, 2023
The 8-year-old had battled a second bout with the flu in just over a month, after the family had waited for a flu vaccine to become available at their pediatrician’s office. At first, the symptoms seemed similar to the first infection, but after a few days, Hadley started feeling a tightness in her legs that prevented her from standing or walking.
This lesser known symptom of a flu infection is caused by a condition called acute viral myositis, an inflammation of the muscles that causes them to feel extremely tense, making movement painful…
But the most important thing parents can do to protect their children is to get them vaccinated, Broussard said. South Louisiana, she noted, has the highest rates of flu infections in the state, making it more likely for children here to experience these symptoms.
How the anti-vaccine movement is gaining power in statehouses
The Washington Post, December 22, 2023
In Louisiana, 29 candidates endorsed by Stand for Health Freedom, a national group that works to defeat mandatory vaccinations, won in the state’s off-year elections this fall.
Fred Mills, the retiring Republican chairman of the Louisiana Senate’s health and welfare committee, said he fears that once-fringe anti-vaccine policies that endanger people’s lives will have a greater chance of passing come January when newly-elected lawmakers are sworn in and more than a dozen Republican moderates like himself leave office...
Growing vaccine hesitancy contributed to a measles outbreak in Columbus, Ohio, last year and in other communities with low vaccination rates.
In Louisiana, kindergarten vaccination rates dropped nearly two percentage points in one year to 89 percent by the 2022-2023 school year — well below the 95 percent required for herd immunity for measles.
“Our liberties and freedoms are really tied up in our community coming together to protect each other from diseases,” said Crystal Rommen, director of Louisiana Families for Vaccines, founded last year to combat growing anti-vaccine sentiment. “Individuals and our communities as a whole have a right to live a life free from vaccine-preventable diseases.”
La. residents urged to protect themselves against the flu this holiday season
KNOE 8 News, December 6, 2022
Cases of the flu are rising across Louisiana, and healthcare providers are urging residents to take action to be able to avoid getting sick this holiday season.
Holidays are coming up fast, so the director of Louisiana Families for Vaccines, Crystal Rommen, says now is the time for people and their high-risk loved ones to get the flu shot.
Rommen said the 2022 season is the worst flu season, both on a state and national level in a decade.
Dr. Eric Griggs of Access Health Louisiana said nearly 10.5% of patient visits in Louisiana have been due to flu-like illnesses, and the numbers began going up a couple of weeks ago.
Louisiana healthcare providers say now is the time to get the flu vaccine as it takes about two weeks to become effective.
For more information about the flu, where to get vaccines, and other ways to protect yourself against the virus, visit the Louisiana Department of Health website.
Louisiana MMR vaccine rates dip below community immunity threshold
Axios, August 28, 2023
Why it matters: "Measles is one of the most infectious diseases known to mankind," Louisiana state health officer and medical doctor Joseph Kanter tells Axios, but outbreaks are "entirely preventable" through vaccination.
For measles specifically, 95% of a community should be vaccinated to prevent spread, according to Kanter, and Louisiana dropped to 93.5% for the 2021-2022 school year.
Kanter hopes the latest data is "a blip" and not a continuing trend as families get back into their pre-pandemic routines and medical professionals fight against misinformation.
"This is the alarm bell," he says. "It takes years — sometimes decades — to recover lost ground. Sometimes it takes longer to recover lost trust for the people who have fallen victim to false truths out there."
Guest Column: Don't let childhood vaccination be another COVID casualty
nola.com, February 8, 2023
Over the past two years, there has been a 2% drop in the percentage of U.S. kindergartners receiving standard childhood vaccines. That may not sound like much, but it translates to 250,000 fewer U.S. children protected against diphtheria, polio, measles, rubella and Hib, as well as whooping cough, chickenpox and seven other diseases. Over the past year, polioviruses were detected in wastewater in several New York counties and an outbreak of measles in the Columbus, Ohio, area sickened at least 85 individuals, mostly unvaccinated children, requiring hospitalization in 34 cases. More examples of a resurgence in vaccine-preventable diseases are sure to follow.
It has been said that those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. Sadly, in the case of routine childhood vaccination, forgetting history will translate to more preventable suffering and death. Let’s not add that to the already sad legacy of COVID-19.
Clutch or not so much: Rating the 2022 Legislature standouts
Louisiana Illuminator, June 9, 2022
If there were a prize given for beating a dead horse in the Legislature, it would be a competitive bout when it comes to COVID-19.
It was disappointing to see physical therapist Rep. Larry Frieman, R-Abita Springs, vigorously – and ultimately fruitlessly – try to compel hospitals to extend privileges to health care providers who prescribe ivermectin to treat COVID-19.
Rep. Troy Romero, R-New Iberia, wanted “God-given antibodies” to be given the same recognition as those acquired through vaccination.
Rep. Raymond Crews, R-Bossier City, was futile in his multiple attempts to undermine state health officials’ work through the pandemic. His doomed proposals provided a regular forum for anti-vax proponents and conspiracy theorists.
Most concerning were the proclamations on the COVID vaccine from Rep. Larry Bagley, R-Stonewall, who didn’t understand the difference between how a single vaccine works and the impact of mass vaccinations. Making matters worse is that Bagley chairs the House Health and Welfare Committee.
These states lag in polio vaccinations: Idaho and Washington, D.C., had the lowest vaccination rates among kindergartners. Louisiana and Mississippi had the highest.
NBC News, August 15, 2022
Poliovirus was recently found in wastewater in three New York counties, including New York City. One case of paralytic polio was confirmed in an unvaccinated adult in Rockland County, which health officials say means the virus is likely circulating undetected.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends four doses administered at specific intervals between the ages of 2 months and 6 years. The vaccine protects against severe disease in 99% of children who get the recommended doses, the CDC said.
CDC data shows that around 93% of U.S. kindergarteners had received four doses by the 2020-2021 school year. In Louisiana and Mississippi, vaccination rates were above 98%. But rates were far lower in other areas of the country: around 80% in the District of Columbia, 86% in Idaho and 87% in Wisconsin.
LDH issues recommendation on COVID vaccine for children ages 6 months and up
Louisiana Department of Health, June 20, 2022
CDC and the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) recommend that all eligible children receive the COVID-19 vaccine to protect themselves and their families. The COVID-19 vaccines are proven to be safe for children ages 6 months and up and help guard against severe COVID-19 outcomes, including certain heart conditions, long-term complications, hospitalization and death.
As we continue to experience an increase in positive COVID-19 infections throughout the state, it is critical that all eligible Louisianans get the COVID-19 vaccine. Tragically, LDH has reported a total of 21 children in Louisiana have died from COVID-19 since the pandemic began, all of whom were not up-to-date on their COVID-19 vaccinations.
COVID-19 can cause severe complications in some children, including over 300 Louisiana children who have been diagnosed with the life-threatening condition multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). Vaccinating your children will reduce their chance of contracting severe complications from COVID-19. Staying up-to-date on vaccinations is key to keeping our families safe and enjoying summer with confidence.
Bill prohibiting schools from recommending vaccines, medical procedures rejected by House
The Advocate, May 24, 2022
The Louisiana House on Tuesday rejected a bill that would prohibit public or private schools from recommending vaccines or medical procedures for students.
The vote was 24-71.
The proposed ban would also apply to the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, the state Department of Education and local school boards.
Rep. Beryl Amedee, R-Houma, sponsor of the bill, said she heard of a case where a teacher recommended that a hyper child be given Ritalin, and that the school was later forced to pay for the medicine.
Amedee said that is the type of instance her bill is meant to address.
But Rep. Mike Johnson, R-Pineville, said since he is married to a longtime school teacher an educator's first instinct is to help the student, not what rules might apply in an emergency.
Louisiana Families for Vaccines hosting Day of Action at State Capitol
BR Proud & Fox News 44, May 23, 2022
BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) – A new grassroots advocacy group, Louisiana Families for Vaccines, is hosting a diverse group of partners, including the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice, for a day of action at the Louisiana State Capitol to support evidence-based vaccine policy in the state.
Founder Dr. Jennifer Herricks and Dr. Eric Griggs stops by Fox 44 studio ahead of them gathering on the steps of the State Capitol on Monday.
Click on image above for video.
House lawmakers reject vaccine reporting requirement for coroners: Bill would require coroners to report deaths 60 days after vaccinations regardless of evidence
Louisiana Illuminator, May 17, 2022
Although the coronavirus has largely taken a backseat to other issues in the Louisiana Legislature’s 2022 regular session, House lawmakers on Monday entertained but ultimately rejected a proposal that opponents criticized for perpetuating disinformation about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines.
House Bill 915, sponsored by Rep. Raymond Crews, R-Bossier City, failed in a House floor vote of 30-61. All 30 votes in favor of the proposal came from Republicans, while 28 other Republicans voted against it.
Louisiana House advancing bills to ban vaccine mandates in schools, cities, Constitution
The Daily Advertiser, April 25, 2022
Jill Hines of Health Freedom Louisiana testified in favor of the bill, saying it "recognizes the proper limits of government."
But Crystal [Rommen] of Louisiana Families for Vaccines said such an amendment would "erode our public health infrastructure. Let's not forsake public health in favor of autonomy," she said.
The bill will require a two-thirds vote by the full House and Senate before it could be put before Louisiana voters to make the final decision. It now goes to the full House for debate.
Lawmakers take aim at Gov. John Bel Edwards rule adding COVID vax to school shots list
The Advocate, April 12, 2022
Lawmakers also rejected House Bill 407 sponsored by state Rep. Beryl Amedée, R-Houma, which would prohibit adding vaccines under emergency use authorization to the school immunization schedule.
Edwards' rule adding the COVID-19 vaccine to the school immunization schedule only applies to age groups that are fully authorized to receive it by the FDA.
"This bill insinuates that vaccines that are under EUA are not safe," said Jennifer Herricks, who has a PhD in microbiology and is the founder of Louisiana Families for Vaccines. "I ask you not to let fear and misinformation have a place in our public health policy."
Bill making it a crime to ask a person’s vaccination status advances to full House
The Advocate, April 6 2022
After significantly changing legislation that would create the crime of asking about vaccination status, the House criminal justice committee on Wednesday advanced the bill for consideration by the full Louisiana House.
State Rep. Debbie Villio, a Kenner Republican who calls herself an “anti-vaxxer,” said the actual wording of the legislation wouldn’t protect people who didn’t get vaccinated. But it would create a crime for those who asked questions about a person’s vaccination status.
After Getting COVID, This Louisiana Teen Made It His Mission to Get His Peers Vaccinated: 'This Is Our Fight'
People, April 1 2022
Trenton Barfield didn't think he could catch COVID. Then on spring break last year, he started feeling sick. When he got home, he tested positive for COVID. He began texting friends and family members, worried that he had gotten them sick too.
Now, the 18-year-old high school senior at Airline High School in Bossier City, Louisiana is an ambassador for the non-profit Teens for Vaccines. He now works to convince others – including his father, who is against vaccines – to take get the shot.
"I definitely want the virus to end," he says. "We have to work together."
Introducing Louisiana Families for Vaccines!
March 14, 2022
Formerly Immunize Louisiana. Same great advocates, same important mission!
Louisiana Families for Vaccines is a volunteer-led, grassroots network of Louisianans dedicated to advocating for public health and evidence-based public policy and promoting immunizations for healthier kids and communities.
We are looking forward to working with you as we fight anti-vaccine legislation in Louisiana this session and as we work to maintain strong, evidence-based vaccine policy in the future.
Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards adds COVID vaccine to required school shots, joining California
Lafayette Daily Advertiser, December 14 2021
Gov. John Bel Edwards is moving forward with adding COVID-19 vaccines to the required list of school shots, overturning a vote from a legislative panel last week to nix the mandate recommended by the Louisiana Department of Health.
Though Edwards' action will add COVID vaccines to the required list beginning next school year, parents can opt out by signing and submitting a form to their schools as they can for other required immunizations like polio and measles.