The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) is launching a new program inviting individuals to become Pediatric Vaccine Champions to engage with their communities around the importance of childhood vaccinations to keep children and communities safe against COVID-19.

The program provides parents, guardians, pediatricians, teachers and community and faith leaders with the tools to take meaningful, accessible action to stop the spread of COVID-19 within their families and in classrooms.

To get more information and apply for the program, go to kidsvaxchampions.org. On this site, you will find a sign-up page where people can volunteer to host vaccination events with a small group of parents and children, coordinate a telephone town hall to answer questions about the vaccines, create PSA videos telling their own stories on why they chose to have their children vaccinated, or receive information and resources to distribute within their families and communities.

“Getting our children vaccinated is one of our top priorities,” said Kimberly Hood, assistant secretary for the Office of Public Health. “It is important to remember that every one of us has the power to affect change and keep our children safe."

A large number of cases continue to be reported among K-12 students, with nearly 4,000 cases reported last week. To date, 18 children have died from COVID in our state.