Florida Stops Releasing School Vaccination Data Amid Health Concerns

Orlando, Florida — Florida has ceased to publish vaccination rates for individual public school campuses, raising alarms among parents and health experts. The change follows Governor Ron DeSantis‘s re-election, coinciding with a broader trend of declining immunization rates statewide.

The Florida Department of Health previously issued detailed reports on school-level vaccination data, a critical resource for parents ensuring their children’s safety against preventable diseases. Now, parents can only obtain data on vaccination rates divided by county, which may hide areas where immunization levels are dangerously low.

Jason Salemi, a professor at the University of South Florida‘s Department of Epidemiology, emphasized the importance of detailed vaccine data for communities. “When it comes to vaccine-preventable diseases, what really matters is the community that your child is in every day,” he said.

Recent statistics reveal significant drops in vaccination rates among Florida’s kindergartners. Last school year, just under 89% of kindergarteners were fully immunized, well below the 95% threshold commonly associated with herd immunity. This drop raises concerns about potential outbreaks, particularly endangering those who cannot be vaccinated due to age or health conditions.

Dr. Jennifer Takagishi, vice president of Florida’s chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, noted the risks associated with low vaccination rates. “If we want parents to make informed decisions about their child and their risk, they need to have the information to make those kinds of decisions,” she said.

In Central Florida, parents seeking specific campus vaccination rates faced difficulties. While some counties provided detailed data, many school districts, including Orange and Osceola, claimed they did not have the information, deferring inquiries to local schools.

Vaccination has turned into a political issue in Florida, with movements to reduce state-mandated immunizations. However, research shows that even in conservative areas like Taylor County, the vaccination rate among kindergarteners remains high.

In contrast, Broward County, traditionally more liberal, reported one of the lowest rates in the state, with only 82% of kindergarteners fully vaccinated. Takagishi expressed concern over the consequences of this approach, particularly referring to the potential accessibility for unvaccinated children in areas with low vaccination rates.

With only county data available, areas like Astatula Elementary School, where only 82% of students are vaccinated, could be overlooked, undermining public health efforts. Salemi stressed the importance of school-level data in preventing disease outbreaks, noting, “It’s just about prevention.”

Parents like Andrea Rice, anticipating her children’s school years, are alarmed about the state’s declining vaccination stance. “Data saves lives,” Rice said, referencing the resurgence of diseases that vaccines once controlled, such as measles.