it is time to mandate early childhood vaccines

[Godhumor]

The crazy out there has gotten ridiculous. The Texas Republican Party has included anti-vaccine language in its proposed platform. California's AB2109 "Informed Consent" bill is being compared to Nazism by such "luminaries" as Rob Schneider publicly and often. Estimates of 7 to 9% off the population is no longer vaccinating based on lies, pseudo-science and quackery. Measles and Whooping Cough have been reintroduced and are spreading.

My proposal is simple: No admission to any pre-k institution or any public elementary school without completing the recommended vaccination schedule on time. Any private school that chooses not to require it must inform parents of current and potential students of this choice along with a percentage of population figure showing unvaccinated children attending.

Yes this would require expansion of the federal free vaccine program and there would have to be a health exemption. However, we stand on a precipice here. The anti-vaccination movement had gotten too dangerous to just ridicule. It needs to be stopped.

[cindyperry2010]

1. i could be wrong (probably am)

but the law in ky was that you don'thave it you can't get in. maybe religious objection but?

[Godhumor]

4. There are individual states that require it to varying degrees

And I intentionally left out the religious grounds objection. You leave it in and pass the mandate and I guarantee there will be a new religion the next day.

[hlthe2b]

2. All states do, but the loopholes with religious & "philosophical" exemptions are huge...

And, closure of those loopholes are met with tremendous resistance by those on both the RW "religious right" AND some very misguided on the "left" who have convinced themselves that vacccines are unsafe and "unnatural"...

However, even a crackdown on school exemptions--limiting to only valid medical exemptions-- somewhat misses the point. Regular vaccination has to be undertaken well prior to school entry and for those who delay, the real danger zone is childcare and pre-schools. Cooperation with vaccination requirements is largely voluntary in these settings and in some states daycare centers play lip service to ensuring children are vaccinated per schedule--or check once on entry and never again. Vaccination schedules are complicated and parents who don't keep up per the schedule risk a child that is very vulnerable to measles, mumps, rubella and other vaccine-preventable disease brought into these centers.

[Godhumor]

6. Agree completely which is why I included on-time in the language

That is the key point, absolutely.

[Nikia]

11. But why should children that just completed their vaccines be banned from public school?

I know that it is better for public health for the vaccinations to be completed on time, but what is the benefit of banning those children from public school who become up to date in order to enter school? Is this something that should be a permanent punishment because their parents delayed their shots?

[Godhumor]

13. Sorry for the confusion, I meant on-time as in age appropriate vaccines to enter that institution

As in, if you're supposed to have x, y and z done by three and your going into a pre-k that starts at three then you can go when those that are supposed to be on-time are completed. I certainly didn't mean to imply that it was a permanent black mark.

[SidDithers]

3. Agreed, with the caveat that medically necessary exemptions be allowed...

not religious exemptions, but medically necessary exemptions.



Sid

[Godhumor]

5. Yup, have it in there n/t

[xchrom]

7. Du rec. Nt

[Honeycombe8]

8. I disagree. It depends on the vaccine. There is genuine concern about some vaccines...

and some children DO get sick from some vaccines, while the science behind the vaccine requirement is not as solid as for other vaccines.

Polio vaccine - the science is solid. I'd be okay with that. But I'm not aware of anyone who objects to it, except those who object to medical care generally, like Christian Scientists. They'd get a religious exception to any requirement, anyway.

[elias7]

9. Which vaccines are you referring to?

Regarding the statement, "the science is not solid": this is a serious claim. I would not throw that out loosely unless you can prove that statement.

So which vaccines is the science less than solid, and what is your proof?

[Honeycombe8]

17. I'm not going to take the bait on having a scientific discussion on this.

For one thing, no matter what "proof" I offer up, you will merely disagree with it, more or less stating that your opinion is the right opinion, and no one has the right to have a different opinion.

All I'm saying is...parents have the right to have valid concerns about their children having bad reactions to vaccines and other drugs.

Just because a doctor says it's good doesn't necessarily make it so, as we all know.

Recall how popular Ridalin became in the treatment of ADA? And then suddenly everyone's kid is - surprise! - diagnosed with ADA and put on insurance-paid-for Ridalin. What a coincidence that was. (sarcasm)

We should look at anything pushed by doctors with a healthy degree of skepticism. If the vaccine is deemed 100% safe (no bad reactions by children have been recorded), and the drug is for a contagious disease, then yes, there is no reason for the child not to gt it, and it is in the interest of the government for the child to get it, in order to prevent others from catching the illness.

But if there is some question about a vaccine, and the condition it protects against is not contagious, then parents have a right to have their concerns addressed.

[cleanhippie]

19. YOU are not going to take the bait? YOU put the bait in the water!

For one thing, no matter what "proof" I offer up, you will merely disagree with it, more or less stating that your opinion is the right opinion, and no one has the right to have a different opinion.

If you have actual "proof", an opinion does nothing to refute it. Your proof should be able to stand on its own, impervious from criticism. Otherwise its just not proof.

All I'm saying is...parents have the right to have valid concerns about their children having bad reactions to vaccines and other drugs.

As do I, and no one has stated anything to the contrary. However, "valid concerns" are not concerns based on unproven supposition.

Just because a doctor says it's good doesn't necessarily make it so, as we all know.

Did anyone say it did?

Recall how popular Ridalin became in the treatment of ADA? And then suddenly everyone's kid is - surprise! - diagnosed with ADA and put on insurance-paid-for Ridalin. What a coincidence that was. (sarcasm)

What does that have to do with this conversation?

We should look at anything pushed by doctors with a healthy degree of skepticism. If the vaccine is deemed 100% safe (no bad reactions by children have been recorded), and the drug is for a contagious disease, then yes, there is no reason for the child not to gt it, and it is in the interest of the government for the child to get it, in order to prevent others from catching the illness.

Yes, that is the system we have in place now, expect that parents can opt-out their children for any reason, even ignorance. And doing so has caused the reemergence of child-hood diseases thought to be nearly extinct. This is what we are talking about, going with the actual science, which says that vaccines are safe AND effective.

But if there is some question about a vaccine, and the condition it protects against is not contagious, then parents have a right to have their concerns addressed.

I agree, again. Is there some new concern that has yet to be addressed that you would like to discuss?

[Godhumor]

10. Nope, no more religious exemption

You want to have your kids in public school? You get them vaccinated unless they have a legit health issue. Time to actually start thinking about the welfare of children.

And the science is very, very sound on early childhood vaccines. No more excuses, no more bullshit.

[Honeycombe8]

14. I wasn't talking about public school requirements, which is different. Like a dress code...

they have their rules, you must comply.

But the state govt can't force a Christian Scientist to get medical treatment. Now, for children, they can. I don't think vaccines fall under that, though.

We will agree to disagree on vaccines. People have the right to have their concerns about some vaccines. Just because others say they're safe doesn't always make it so.

Many drs thought/think Ridalin was/is good idea for kids....it's a very bad idea and has serious side effects. Just an example.

[Godhumor]

16. So what are your concerns about early childhood vaccines?

The only fear I see is the utterly mistaken belief they can cause autism.

And exemptions can be limited, as you said. A federal mandate would be able to spell them out.

[budkin]

12. No, we shouldn't

Two of my kids have had horrible reactions to vaccines, including one of them having a stroke (luckily it was minor and he's ok now). My wife was paralyzed by Guillaine Barre Syndrome temporarily as a child immediately after being vaccinated. They're now exempt from any further vaccines. The people that say vaccines are 100% safe have never had anything like that happen to them and think the ones that have are just being paranoid. They're not and I can attest to it.

[Godhumor]

15. Right, why I mentioned a health exemption

And you'll see it mentioned in other replies, too. We all know there are people who can not or should not be vaccinated. If it want clear in the op, that is what I meant.

[nadinbrzezinski]

18. You mean like OTHER COUNTRIES DO?

Oh the horror!

(And yes, there is a minuscule number of people who should not receive vaccines for medical reasons)

[Sgent]

20. Mississippi & West Virginia do this already

and have almost 100% vaccination rates.

In MS there is one, and only one exception -- medically unsafe due to health issues of the child. This exemption has to be signed by regional health department physician -- not your own pediatrician / family practice doc.

Oh yea... it applies to not only public schools, but all private schools and licensed daycare's -- and all daycare's with more than 5 people must be licensed.

Good luck getting it instituted elsewhere.

States (unlike the feds) have enormous general health / police powers when it comes to public health.