Kas Miller: Florida’s schools return soon. Are your kids vaccinated?

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By Kas Miller

Florida’s schools return soon. Are your kids vaccinated?

As summer comes to a close, most Florida parents are focused on the same questions: Is my child ready for a new grade? Will they make new friends? Do we have everything on the supply list? August also marks National Immunization Awareness month, which arrives as families across Florida are checking off back-to-school to-do lists and preparing children for the year ahead.

Worrying about a measles outbreak at school shouldn't be on that list. Yet as vaccine-preventable diseases reemerge in communities across the country, it's a reminder that the protections many parents have come to expect are not guaranteed. As a mom and Director of Florida Families for Vaccines, I see vaccines as one of the many common-sense steps we take to protect our children, just like buckling a seat belt, installing a smoke detector or keeping up with routine checkups.