Vienna, Virginia http://www.909shot.com
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
#9119
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
“Protecting the health and informed consent rights of
children since 1982.”
Deseret News political editor
Parents should be able to enroll their children in public
schools without health department officials giving their OK to immunization
waivers, a majority of the Utah House said.
Representatives, after a long debate, passed Rep. Becky
Lockhart’s HB243. Some of those voting “no”
said the number of non-immunized children may rise and children who do get
shots for communicable diseases could be at greater risk of sick children
through the change.
Lockhart, R-Orem, said she personally believes in
immunization and her children have had the required number of shots. “But there
are people who don’t, and I believe it is their right to make that decision,”
she said.
Currently, there are three exemptions to immunizations
required of children entering and continuing in public schools: medical,
religious and personal. If the parent
chooses the personal exemption, they must have their waiver signature witnessed
by a county or city health official.
That means taking the immunization form to your local
health department “where they often get a guilt trip” put on them by a health
worker who lectures them on the dangers of not immunizing a child.
“I oppose this bill,” said Rep. David Litvack, D-Salt
Lake. “I have the concerns of the school districts that this (change) will be an excuse, an easy way out” for
negligent parents.
“This change is not just an impact on one child or one
family. Immunization impacts the health of all children surrounding (the
non-immunized) child in that school. By going to the health department, you
make sure they are making an educated decision.”
Lockhart said she believes nearly all parents who do not
immunize their children have studied the issue and make an informed choice.
She doesn’t accept the argument put forward by some that “lazy”
parents who show up on registration day, who forget their immunization records
or who forget to get their child’s shots, will just pick the personal exemption
option.
Single, working moms in rural Utah may have to take a day
off from work just to drive to their local health departments, she said. In
urban, crowded schools, a same-day trip to the health department to get the
signature witnessed could mean by the time the mom and child gets back to
school, the junior high or high school classes the child wants are already
full.
The bill now goes to the Senate.
Center and is supported through membership donations. Learn more about vaccines, diseases and how
to protect your informed
consent rights http://www.909shot.com
To unsubscribe from this list, send an email to news-request@909shot.com
and type UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the email.
NVIC is funded through individual membership donations and does not receive government funding. Barbara Loe Fisher, President and Co-founder.
NOTE: This is not an interactive e-mail list. Please do
not respond to messages.
ALL
INFORMATION, DATA, AND MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR
GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE
KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED
AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR LEGAL ADVICE. THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO
VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU
ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.