12.5.11 National trends indicate that more parents across the country are deciding not to vaccinate their children, but the state Department of Health and Hospitals say that is not the case in Louisiana.

Statewide numbers have fluctuated over the past five years from a low of 0.23 percent of parents opting out of the required immunizations to a high of 0.895 percent in 2007. In 2010, less than three quarters of
1 percent of Louisiana parents made the decision not to vaccinate their children.

"I hope it's because we've done a good job in educating them on the safety of vaccines and the benefits of having children vaccinated," said DHH's Dr. Shelley Jones. "We know that studies have shown that these vaccines are very safe."