vaccination

The percentages of kindergarten and seventh-grade children who have religious exemptions from vaccination requirements have reached all-time highs after steadily increasing over the past decade.

A Florida Department of Health report on immunizations for the 2019-2020 academic year shows the rates of kindergarten and seventh-grade students statewide with religious exemptions from vaccinations are 3 percent and 1.9 percent, respectively. Both rates are at all-time highs.

After a major outbreak in 2019, Florida has topped 100 cases of hepatitis A in the new year. 

Just days before the end of 2019, Florida had received reports of nearly 3,400 hepatitis A cases during the year. 

Florida’s surgeon general is cautiously optimistic that education and vaccination efforts during the past few months are working to contain the spread of hepatitis A, which caused the declaration of a public-health emergency in August. 

It’s free and available everywhere. Yet most Americans skip the annual flu shot ― with the number of dispensed vaccines barely changed in the past decade, despite government removal of cost and access obstacles. 

Florida had 62 newly reported cases of hepatitis A last week, bringing the total number of cases for the year to 2,738 as of Saturday, a state Department of Health report shows. 

By News Service of Florida

With the largest numbers of cases concentrated in Pasco, Pinellas and Volusia counties, Florida has had about 1,900 reported cases of hepatitis A this year, according to new numbers from the Florida Department of Health. 

News Service of Florida

The number of hepatitis A cases reported to the state Department of Health continues to rise, with the latest data showing that 82 cases were reported between June 30 and July 6. 

The Florida Department of Health says four children who were diagnosed with measles were never vaccinated.

Four cases of measles have been identified in Florida in the past two weeks, all of which involve travelers.

Two of the cases diagnosed involved international travelers, and the infected people had unknown or no measles vaccine, State Surgeon General Dr. John Armstrong said in a statement.

The Florida Department of Health reports that so far, no state residents have so far been diagnosed with measles, a disease that is experiencing the second-biggest outbreak in the nation in at least 15 years.

Florida’s flu season is off to an early start this year.

The Florida Department of Health says flu activity is highest in kids, but widespread across all age groups.

Two flu-related deaths among children have been reported so far.

This year’s common flu virus has changed slightly from past seasons, and the vaccine available now is not quite as effective against the current strain.

However, getting vaccinated is still recommended, as it can still help prevent the worst flu symptoms.

Nearly 1,000 workers at Lee Memorial Health System -- and about 2,000 volunteers -- have been given extra time to get a flu shot under a new rule, the Fort Myers News-Press reports. About 10 percent of Lee Memorial’s workforce missed the original Dec. 1 deadline. Employees can now be disciplined, even fired, if they don’t get the shot or approved for an exemption by Friday, the News-Press reports.