ASTHO Board of Directors Releases Statement of Support for Vaccinations

September 05, 2025

ARLINGTON, VA — The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) Board of Directors issued the following statement of support for routine vaccinations:

“As public health professionals, we unequivocally support the use of vaccines to prevent infectious diseases. Vaccines are one of the most significant public health achievements in human history, having saved countless lives and prevented immeasurable suffering.

The science behind vaccines is robust and well-tested. Vaccines work by training the body's immune system to recognize and fight off viruses or bacteria without suffering from the harmful effects of the disease. Global immunization efforts have saved over 100 million lives over the past 50 years. Vaccines are our best defense against polio, diphtheria, measles, whooping cough, mumps, tetanus, hepatitis B, certain types of meningitis, and more. Vaccination is a fundamental responsibility we all share to protect ourselves, our families, and our communities from these serious diseases. Declines in vaccination rates endanger all American families, including our schoolchildren, older adults, pregnant women, those with compromised immune systems and even healthy adults. Increasing access to life-saving vaccines will make our communities healthier.”

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ASTHO is the national nonprofit organization representing the public health agencies of the United States, the U.S. territories and freely associated states, and Washington, D.C., as well as the more than 100,000 public health professionals these agencies employ. ASTHO members, the chief health officials of these jurisdictions, are dedicated to formulating and influencing sound public health policy and to ensuring excellence in public health practice.