New Washington State vax law

[pantufla]

Here's the press release:

News Release

For immediate release: May 11, 2011                                                                         (11-071)

Contacts:            Michele Roberts, Immunization Program CHILD Profile                        360-236-3720

                        Julie Graham, Communications Office                                                    360-236-4022

Immunization law requires parents to get info on benefits and risks of vaccine

OLYMPIA ¾ Washington has one of the highest school immunization exemption rates in the nation. On Tuesday Governor Gregoire signed a bill requiring a parent or guardian to show that they have received information from a health care provider on the benefits and risks of immunization before opting out of school vaccination requirements.

“Childhood immunizations save lives and are one of the most effective ways to protect kids from serious, preventable illnesses,” says Secretary of Health Mary Selecky. “There’s a lot of confusing information about vaccine circulating around, this law makes sure that parents will get reliable facts from one of their most trusted sources — a health care provider.”

Previous state policy made it easy for parents to exempt their child from school immunization requirements based only on convenience. Washington’s exemption rates have more than doubled over the last 10 years — during the 2009-2010 school year, 6.2 percent of children had a signed exemption. The national average for exemption rates is estimated at less than 2 percent.

Unvaccinated kids are more likely to catch and spread serious illnesses like whooping cough and measles, which can be prevented by vaccines. Making sure kids have all recommended immunizations protects them, their classmates, friends, and families from preventable diseases. Kids who aren’t fully immunized may be excluded from attending school, preschool, or child care if a disease outbreak occurs.

A health care provider does not need to sign the Certificate of Exemption form for parents or guardians who show membership in a church or religious group that does not allow a health care provider to provide medical care to a child.

Beginning July 22, 2011, parents or guardians who want to exempt their child from school or child care immunization requirements must fill out and submit the updated Certificate of Exemption form to their school or childcare.

More information and an updated Certificate of Exemption form will be available online as soon as the forms are finalized. Health care providers can use the CHILD Profile Immunization Registry to help parents with the necessary paperwork by printing it from the CHILD Profile system.

For help finding a health care provider or an immunization clinic, call your local health agency (www.doh.wa.gov/LHJMap/LHJMap.htm) or the WithinReach (www.withinreachwa.org) Family Health Hotline at 1-800-322-2588.

Visit the Washington Department of Health website at http://www.doh.wa.gov/ for a healthy dose of information.

  ###

(Bolding is mine.)  I'm PISSED.  They're making it sound like I have to prove my religion in order to get a religious exemption.  Any thoughts on this?

[Ldavis24]

so if you aren't religious and you can't get a healthcare provider to sign a form or whatever stating you've been told the risks etc...wth do you do?

 I can't wait to see this popping up in other states across the country.

[SilverMoon010]

Unvaccinated kids are more likely to catch and spread serious illnesses like whooping cough and measles, which can be prevented by vaccines. 

Well damn, if this were true, why do so many vaccinated wind up with these illnesses?

Childhood immunizations save lives and are one of the most effective ways to protect kids from serious, preventable illnesses 

So we hear (over and over again), but there are more effective, safer ways to prevent and treat illness out there, not just good damn conventional medicine being shoved down our throats whether we want it or not!  How bout we look OUTSIDE the box for once, eh?

I have three words....power, greed, and complete BS!

Edited by SilverMoon010 - 5/13/11 at 1:31pm

[goldenwillow]

Originally Posted by pantufla 

Here's the press release:

(Bolding is mine.)  I'm PISSED.  They're making it sound like I have to prove my religion in order to get a religious exemption.  Any thoughts on this?

That is exactly how I am reading it.  That is crap.  So... my family is not "religious".  There has to be another way to get around it.  I still will not vac. 

[zippy_francis]

This is just ridiculous!

 

Originally Posted by SilverMoon010 

Unvaccinated kids are more likely to catch and spread serious illnesses like whooping cough and measles, which can be prevented by vaccines. 

Well damn, if this were true, why do so many vaccinated wind up with these illnesses?

Childhood immunizations save lives and are one of the most effective ways to protect kids from serious, preventable illnesses 

So we hear (over and over again), but there are more effective, safer ways to prevent and treat illness out there, not just good damn conventional medicine being shoved down our throats whether we want it or not!  How bout we look OUTSIDE the box for once, eh?

I have three words....power, greed, and complete BS!

What she said!

The people I have known that get these 'vax preventable' illnesses are the ones who vax!

[Bokonon]

Such a load of propaganda.

I'd like to know how up to date the teachers and administration are on their vaccinations.

[AerialistEm]

I am reading this as follows:

- If you NEVER take your kid to a doctor then either

   1) you have to show that it is because you are part of a religious group that never takes their kids to a doctor  or

   2) You'll have to take your kid to at least ONE doctors appointment to have that doctor sign a form saying they are healthy and that you have been informed of the benefits and risks of vaccination.    This doctor can probably be an osteopath, walk-in clinic, or anyone else who isn't going to hassle you too much.

- If you SOMETIMES take your kid to a doctor then you'll have to have that doctor sign your form.

Yes, this is a hassle if you NEVER use doctors.  If you do use doctors sometimes, then really this is just a minor inconvenience. 

I'm not saying its right, I'd be pissed off too.  All I'm saying is that for most people, this won't be much of a hurdle.

[Angelorum]

This sounds similar to what they do in Utah, where I live now.  I'm originally from WA, and hope to be moving back in a year.  Here, you have to go the the health dept to get the form, and you fill it out, a nurse sees you, hands you some "fact" sheets about vaxes, maybe asks if you have any questions and then signs the form as well.  More of a hassle than a form you can download and print yourself, but I didn't have to argue with anyone or make up any religious reasons or anything.  It sounds like if you want to skip the HCP signature then you have to get into the religious reasons.  I don't agree with this law, but it could be much worse. 

[Jaimee]

Yes it could be worse.  I'm moving to Illinois in a few months and I have to lie in order to send my dd to preschool unvaxed.  I will have to make up a religious exemption and I cannot just say "vaccinating is against our personal beliefs."  It actually has to state our specific beliefs or a specific religion that we adhere to that does not allow vaccinating.  I just really feel wrong about it, but I'm not sure what to do.  This country doesn't let parents make this choice for scientific reasons, only religious ones! 

[ma2two]

That is correct. However, there is no requirement that the doctor say the child is healthy, ONLY that the doctor discussed the risks and benefits of vaccines with the parent.

Originally Posted by AerialistEm 

I am reading this as follows:

- If you NEVER take your kid to a doctor then either

   1) you have to show that it is because you are part of a religious group that never takes their kids to a doctor  or

   2) You'll have to take your kid to at least ONE doctors appointment to have that doctor sign a form saying they are healthy and that you have been informed of the benefits and risks of vaccination.    This doctor can probably be an osteopath, walk-in clinic, or anyone else who isn't going to hassle you too much.

- If you SOMETIMES take your kid to a doctor then you'll have to have that doctor sign your form.

Yes, this is a hassle if you NEVER use doctors.  If you do use doctors sometimes, then really this is just a minor inconvenience. 

I'm not saying its right, I'd be pissed off too.  All I'm saying is that for most people, this won't be much of a hurdle.

[Ldavis24]

So if your regular ped refused to sign it then, you could just go to a walk in or something? 
I feel like it could in theory become really difficult for some people to get the things signed. 

[ma2two]

Yes, it can be any M.D., D.O., N.D., physician's assistant, or advanced registered nurse licensed in Washington state.
 

Originally Posted by Ldavis24 

So if your regular ped refused to sign it then, you could just go to a walk in or something?