Protecting Children’s Health: Ensuring Vaccine Access Through Strong State Policies

Declining childhood vaccination rates have left U.S. children vulnerable to preventable diseases like measles and whooping cough. State-level policies can facilitate or hinder a child’s access to vaccines, and so strengthening state policy commitment for vaccination is critical to protect public health. Yet in the past five years, an increasing number of anti-science bills proposed at the state level would weaken childhood immunization programs, such as by weakening school vaccination requirements. The 2026 lawmaking season promises to be especially threatening to state-level public health protections.

In this webinar hosted by the International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, policy analysts will discuss recent policy trends impacting immunization and describe innovative strategies to effectively advocate for stronger immunization programs. We will also share resources that can be used to support advocacy efforts and inform state-level vaccine decisions.

The webinar will include a conversation with grassroots advocates in three states working to protect access to childhood vaccines.

Register here: https://jh.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_OtH9kJgjRVOtRZKmCH4Pmg#/registration