Louisiana has restricted its health department from promoting or advertising flu, COVID and mpox vaccinations, according to a report from NPR. The decision is raising concerns about public health awareness as officials debate its implications. For instance, some public health records are worried that Louisiana could set a precedent for other states, which in turn could contribute to higher rates of disease and “further erosion of trust in the nation’s public health infrastructure,” NPR reports.
In a statement shared with NPR, the Louisiana Department of Health said it is “reevaluating both the state’s public health priorities as well as our messaging around vaccine promotion, especially for COVID-19 and influenza.” The department added it’s moving “away from one-size-fits-all paternalistic guidance,” and is instead positioning vaccines as an “individual’s personal choice.”