The current forecast for vaccine policy in the United States is stormy, to say the least. With Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as a candidate for Secretary of Health and Human Services and a string of other names — including Mehmet Oz, Jay Bhattacharya and Florida Surgeon General Joseph A. Ladapo — floated as possible appointees, public health advocates are right to be concerned about the future of evidence-based public health policy.
I understand all too well the consequences of vaccine misinformation. When my son, Thomas, was 5 months old, I dropped him off for his second week of daycare. Later that day we received the dreaded ‘Dear Parents’ email: A case of chickenpox in kindergarten meant the babies had to be quarantined at home for 28 days. Two days later, Thomas developed the telltale varicella rash and developed pneumonia. Chickenpox can be serious, but we were lucky: he didn’t have to be hospitalized and made a full recovery. This experience, which could have been prevented, inspired me to stand up for our family and others.
Six months later, I visited Maine’s State House to testify on a bill to strengthen immunization requirements. I was barely prepared — the hearing was overwhelmed by hundreds of anti-vaccine activists, including Del Bigtree, best known as RFK Jr.’s right-hand man. during his campaign for president. The testimony lasted thirteen hours, and I drove home at 2 a.m. wondering where the rest of the pro-vaccination parents were hiding.
Since then, I have helped found SAFE Communities Coalition, a bipartisan organization committed to advancing strong grassroots vaccine policies. We have eleven family vaccine chapters from coast to coast, in blue and deep red states, and we are growing quickly.
That’s why I’m here to tell you that there are compelling reasons for optimism. Every day I witness firsthand how pro-vaccination is becoming stronger, more organized, and more effective than ever before.
Although the first Trump administration was marked by political turbulence, Maine, New York, Connecticut, California and Washington have strengthened their vaccine laws. Maine has eliminated the loophole that left my son vulnerable, with 73% of voters choosing to protect our schools from rising disease rates. In every state, committed vaccine advocates spoke out about policies that protect families from deadly, preventable diseases, and lawmakers listened. Even in the face of federal challenges, states can serve as a public health firewall. It may even be the case that predicted shifts in authority from the federal government to the states provide citizens with the opportunity to make policy changes at home.
It is also worth remembering that while President Trump was vaccine skeptical, he did prioritize the Covid vaccine during the pandemic. Operation Warp Speed showed what is possible when political will is aligned with the common good. Although the program had significant limitationsOperation Warp Speed raised $18 billion in federal resources and delivered safe and effective Covid-19 vaccines in record time – a bipartisan victory for health, science, innovation and public-private partnerships.
Furthermore, while anti-vaccination voices are making headlines, the majority of Americans continue to immunize themselves and their children. We were a silent majority, but we are finally experiencing a wave of grassroots vaccine advocacy. Parents, healthcare providers, community leaders and lawmakers continue to emerge as vaccine champions, and together we are growing a national pro-vaccine movement.
Within days of the SAFE Communities Coalition launching a campaign urging people to contact their senators to support RFK Jr.’s confirmation. to reject it, thousands of vaccine advocates from across the country responded. Influencers in pro-science parenting spaces enthusiastically shared the call to action, bringing the message to an even wider audience.
This level of involvement would have been unthinkable ten years ago. Today’s vaccine proponents are not only reactive, but also proactive. They are building coalitions and mobilizing on a scale that we firmly believe will not only match, but overtake the anti-vaccine movement.
We have had a number of important victories in recent years, including winning a vaccine referendum in Maine with a 73% majority to protect children from disease, and defeating all 39 of the anti-vaccination laws proposed in Louisiana in 2021.
Of course, we’ve also learned some hard lessons from past legislative battles. A bill in Montana would have done that prohibited blood donations of immunized individuals, endangering the state’s life-saving blood supply. We got creative and organized a blood drive, encouraging Montanans to roll up their sleeves, get their vaccinations and donate blood. Every bad bill is an opportunity to ensure advocates are better prepared to respond to anti-vaccine bills with targeted local data, compelling stories, credible partners, and coordinated action. I’ve seen it happen many times: everyday people join our ranks and learn how to advocate for the laws they believe in. As we grow, our collective voices become harder to ignore.
This preparation is critical as we anticipate new challenges at the federal and state levels. Although RFK Jr.’s nomination is deeply concerning, it has also energized the pro-vaccine community, creating a sense of urgency and unity that will be essential in the years to come.
Yes, the challenges are real, and my heart breaks as we think about the real lives, careers, promising innovations, and economies that will be harmed by projected losses to our national health care infrastructure. But our story doesn’t end here. Vaccine advocates are stronger, smarter and more prepared than ever before.
In the same way that high immunization rates protect our families and communities from the spread of disease, a united majority of vaccine advocates will help protect us from the policies that threaten our collective health and well-being.
Caitlin Gilmet is the communications director for SAFE Communities Coalition, tthe country’s largest pro-vaccine organization.