One of the
most controversial bills to come out of the legislature this session has been the
Immunization bill, S.199. The question
it addresses is under what circumstances, if any, should a child be allowed to
attend a public school or a day care facility without having received the
age-appropriate vaccinations required by the Vermont Department of Health.
On the one
hand, there is the issue of protecting the public, especially children, from
outbreaks of dangerous communicable illnesses as a result of low vaccination
rates. On the other, there is the
concern of many parents that some vaccines present a higher risk for serious
illness than the diseases they are meant to prevent. Another aspect of the debate is whether the
statistics showing an increase in the percentage of children who enter school
"unvaccinated" accurately portray the situation.
I have been
following the debate on this issue very closely, paying attention to the concerns
on both sides of the issue. I have been
fortunate to get input not only from constituents, medical professionals and
parent advocates, but also from members of the House Health Care Committee on
all aspects of the immunization debate.
They have taken testimony and discussed it in great depth. I believe the committee came up with alternative
language that recognizes the necessity of immunizations for maintaining public health
as well as the concerns that some parents have regarding certain vaccines.
The
vaccination rates for all the required vaccines except chicken pox are more
than 90% statewide. The chicken pox, or
varicella, vaccine is at 87%. However,
while the data may show satisfactory rates of immunization for specific
vaccines overall, there are pockets of the state where vaccine rates are
critically low and need to be increased to keep both children and
immune-compromised adults safe. The
House Health Care Committee, after consultation with school nurses as well as parents
and doctors, decided to rely on education rather than a mandate and included a
$40,000 appropriation for that purpose.
The
committee's amendment will retain the philosophical exemption, but will require
parents to consult with their pediatrician and acknowledge that they have been
informed of the risks of not having their children immunized by signing a
form. Recognizing that the statistics
showing decreased immunization rates do not distinguish between rejection of
all vaccines and rejection of one or two, or postponement of a vaccine, the
bill requires two more years for reporting of vaccination rates among
school-age children. In addition to K
and 7, statistics for 1st and 8th grade will also be reported to the VT Dept of
Health by each school.
It is my firm opinion that vaccines are crucial to
preserving the public health and that government has a responsibility to
promote their use even to the point of requiring them. Since the main objective is to increase the
overall rates of immunization, however, I support S.199 with these
modifications because I believe that it addresses the immunization issue with
the proper balance.
