Sample Letter to the Editor

As a pediatrician, I specialize in keeping children healthy. Nothing brings me more joy than seeing my young patients thriving, growing, and learning. That’s why I think of vaccinations—as routine as they may be—as a vital part of my service to children, families, and our community. Vaccinations prepare children’s immune systems to recognize and respond to serious diseases, and they also protect society at large. Just as updating my personal computer with the latest anti-virus software helps to protect the computers of people I email, vaccinations keep both my patients and their personal networks healthy.

That’s why it’s so concerning that our state’s lawmakers are poised to make it less likely that children are immunized on the schedule recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Because misinformation about immunization has become so widespread, a growing minority of parents are hesitant to have their children receive all recommended immunizations. {{Bill XYZ}} would make it easier for misinformation to undermine sound public health policy by allowing nonmedical exemptions to school entry requirements. This step would put schools and communities at greater risk of outbreaks of serious preventable diseases.

I believe we have a shared responsibility for all children’s health, and that this translates directly to a duty to make sure that childhood vaccinations are widely available, easy and affordable to access, and required in the interests of public health. I urge you to contact your representative and speak up in support of strong vaccine requirements.