(Louisiana Illuminator) — I wear many hats every day. I’m a social worker, a mom raising two young children, an adult daughter with a parent living in a nursing home, and a public health advocate. Each of those roles shapes how I see the world — and all of them leave me deeply concerned about what’s happening right now with vaccine access in Louisiana.
I think about my kids when I send them to school, trusting that the adults around them have done what they can to keep classrooms safe. I think about my mother, living among other vulnerable elders, relying on the protection that comes from a community doing the right thing. And in my work as a social worker, I see suffering compounded by social determinants of health like access to resources, poverty, racism, and health disparities that are often out of people’s control. When missed days at work or an unexpected hospital bill already means the difference in being able to make ends meet, we don’t need to thrust a preventable disease into the mix.
Right now, our collective protection against preventable diseases is weakening. Vaccination rates are dropping, and growing confusion and hesitation are leaving our communities exposed. When our communities aren’t protected, these illnesses can spread quickly and cause serious harm, especially to babies, seniors, and people with compromised immune systems.
Vaccines remain one of the safest and most effective tools we have to protect one another. But routine vaccination rates are falling, and that should concern all of us. In 2025 alone, over 1,600 cases of measles have been reported nationwide – the most documented cases in three decades. Nationwide, only 92.5% of kindergarteners received measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine for the 2024-2025 school year. This rate falls below the critical 95% threshold needed for community protection.
Here in Louisiana, the percentage of vaccinated kindergartners has fallen from 96% for the 2020–21 school year to only 91.65% for the 2024-25 school year. Only 64% of Louisiana children under age 2 had completed the full recommended seven-vaccine series in 2024. Adult vaccination rates have also not rebounded, leaving gaps in protection across entire communities.
This past May, 42 Louisianans – 75% of whom were not up to date on their immunizations – were hospitalized for whooping cough. More than two-thirds of those hospitalized were children under a year of age. By the end of September, there were over 387 cases reported in the state. It’s clear we need to take serious action to get Louisiana residents and families caught up on vaccines.
Louisiana is currently leading the nation in flu cases. With vaccine uptake already low and continuing to decline, we face increased infections, hospitalizations, and deaths — along with the very real risk of overwhelming our healthcare system.
According to the CDC, only 28.8% of Louisiana children ages 6 months to 17 years have received a flu vaccine this season, compared to 40.8% nationally. Among adults, just 37.9% are vaccinated, still below the national average of 41.9% and far short of what’s needed to prevent serious outcomes. As of Dec. 6,, the U.S. has already recorded an estimated 2.9 million flu illnesses, 30,000 hospitalizations, and 1,200 deaths — well ahead of last year’s pace.
Declining vaccination rates are being worsened by shifting and confusing federal guidance about which vaccines are recommended and when. Just this month, a federal advisory committee reversed long-standing guidance on the hepatitis B birth dose, ending a universal policy that had reduced infant infections from 20,000 cases per year to fewer than 20. This reversal sends a troubling signal and underscores the need for strong state and local leadership.
When vaccination levels fall below what’s needed for community protection, diseases once kept in check return. We are already seeing this across the country with a surge in measles cases. In Louisiana, dozens of people — most of them infants too young to be fully vaccinated — have been hospitalized with whooping cough. These children relied on the rest of us for protection.
Conflicting guidance has left many families unsure about how, when, or where to get vaccinated. That uncertainty makes clear, science-based state policies more important than ever — policies that expand access to vaccines rather than create new barriers.
The good news is that people across our state, regardless of political affiliation, have been clear about their strong support for vaccination. According to a recent survey, more than two-thirds of Louisiana voters believe childhood vaccines are essential and provide significant health benefits. More than 80% support policies like making vaccines easy to access at local pharmacies and fully covered by insurance. Louisiana families want to protect their health – our state leaders should make that easier, not harder.
Taking care of our neighbors is a core Louisiana value. We show up after hurricanes, bring food when someone is sick, and check on our elders. Vaccination is another way we live out that commitment — quietly, responsibly and with care.
Families should talk with trusted healthcare providers about recommended vaccines. But individual action alone is not enough. We also need strong leadership and clear policies to ensure vaccines are available, affordable, and accessible. Without decisive action, preventable diseases will continue to spread, and more Louisianans will suffer unnecessary harm.
We cannot afford to move backward. Vaccines have protected our communities for decades, saving lives and keeping families whole. Keeping Louisiana healthy will take all of us — parents, caregivers, healthcare providers, and lawmakers — working together to protect our neighbors, ourselves, and our future.
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Crystal Rommen, LCSW-BACS, is director of Louisiana Families for Vaccines, a social worker, mom of two and physician’s spouse in Monroe.
