Schools, public health experts encourage vaccines as student immunizations rates decrease

Back-to-school vaccination rates

With kids returning to school across the Tampa Bay area next week, that also means the "classroom crud" will be back. It could be a cold, or it could turn into something more serious that spreads. Briona Arradondo reports.

TAMPA, Fla. - With kids returning to school across the Tampa Bay area next week, it also means the classroom germs will be back. Public health experts are encouraging parents to get their children vaccinated.

What we know:

Students entering pre-K through 12th grade for the first time in Florida need their required shots, like measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, polio, chickenpox and more. But public health experts like University of South Florida's Jill Roberts are noticing a trend.

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"The pathogens spread very fast in schools and among little kids," said Roberts, a professor with USF’s College of Public Health. "As you probably know that after COVID, the immunization rates started to drop a little bit.  The good news is it's not a massive drop in the usual numbers, but it's still to me, I'm not happy to see this, because we're leaving some kids that are unprotected."

By the numbers:

According to the state’s health tracking website Florida Health Charts, the state’s immunization rate for kindergartners continues to trend down since 2020, going from around 93% in 2019 to 88% in 2025. Roberts said public health experts want to see that number at 95, the threshold for herd immunity.

"If somebody is medically fragile, especially kids with cancer and various other things, we got to make sure the rest of us are protecting them by getting vaccinated," said Roberts.

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There have been measles outbreaks nationwide, with cases also reported in Florida, but local health experts don’t want to see it in the Tampa Bay region. The vaccination rates for 2025 in the Tampa Bay region range from 79% in Sarasota County to 86% in Hillsborough County and 95 in Hardee County.

"I think perhaps people don't understand that medicine is like life. Everything is a risk-benefit ratio. And the benefits of vaccination so far outweigh the risk," said Dr. John Sinnott, a professor of medicine at the University of South Florida and medical director of global medicine at Tampa General Hospital. "Vaccines are the simplest, safest way to protect your child, to keep them in class and out of the hospital, or even worse."

Why you should care:

Health experts recommend double-checking with your doctor that your child really can’t get vaccinated.

"I've had people even come to me about and say, well, 'my kid can't get the MMR, because they're allergic to eggs.' There's no eggs in the MMR vaccine," said Roberts.

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And if you still have concerns, experts said you can ask your school’s nurse.

"I think they can really reassure you that vaccination is the right way to go," said Roberts.

In Hillsborough County, Leto High School will host a big health fair from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. for free shots and physicals. The school district said vaccines help keep kids healthy and in school, so they can focus on learning.