skip to content

It's a New Day in Public Health.

The Florida Department of Health works to protect, promote & improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county, & community efforts.

skip to content
 

Vaccine Preventable Diseases

Contact the Florida Department of Health

Download Vaccine Responsibilities to Your Community Flyers

Measles, mumps, rubella, pertussis, diphtheria, tetanus, polio, varicella, pneumococcal disease, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, influenza, meningococcal and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) are all preventable by vaccine.  These common childhood and adult diseases are highly contagious and are particularly dangerous to very young children who have relatively low resistance to infection and more prone to develop serious complications such as deafness, retardation, brain and spinal cord damage and, occasionally, death.

Florida has a very strong and successful immunization program.  Without assurance of high immunization levels, visitors and Floridians would not be able to enjoy the high quality of life the state offers.  Currently, the maintenance of high immunization levels contributes positively to the state’s economy by lower disease incidence, lower healthcare costs and ensuring travelers may confidently visit Florida without contracting a vaccine-preventable disease.

The program ensures a cause and effect response by monitoring immunization levels in vulnerable populations throughout the state, thereby contributing to strategies to attain and sustain high immunization levels.  This has the effect of increasing herd immunity and lowering vaccine-preventable disease rates.