Open Letter from Louisiana Healthcare Workers and Concerned Citizens to the Louisiana Department of Health
To the leadership at the Louisiana Department of Health,
As physicians, nurses, teachers, parents, and concerned citizens of Louisiana dedicated to the health and well-being of Louisiana's families, we are alarmed by the Louisiana Department of Health's recent anti-science policy shift regarding vaccines. While claiming to promote personal choice, these policies actively limit access to vaccines by prohibiting clinics and preventing staff from even offering them. This approach not only restricts choices for families but undermines their ability to protect themselves against preventable diseases.
LDH has stated that vaccines should be a decision between patients and their doctors. We unequivocally underscore the importance of staying up to date on recommended vaccines. Vaccines are safe, effective and one of the most powerful tools we have to protect individuals and communities from serious illnesses. For those with rare medical exceptions—affecting less than one percent of the population—community immunity becomes even more critical.
Louisiana families deserve the freedom to access vaccines and the assurance of accurate, science-based guidance from public health leaders. Denying these fundamental resources endangers lives, as falling vaccination rates lead to preventable illnesses, increased healthcare costs, and disruptions to workplaces and schools.
Vaccine access saves lives. We implore the Louisiana Department of Health to reverse these dangerous policies. Public health leadership must prioritize transparency, education and access to lifesaving immunizations. Louisiana families deserve nothing less.
Sincerely,
[Name]
