So why is this happening anyway?

[Coralstrr]

I have been on the fence about vaccines since my daughter was born in 2009 so far she has been vaccinated mostly on schedule and few vaccine delayed a bit as to not inject her with 4 vaccines at once. I allowed her to get the varcilla vaccine even though I had reservations. We don't get the flu shot and I also refused the H1N1 vaccine the year it was being push onto the public. I recently found out the state of Ct has made the flu vaccine mandatory for all children in daycare, preschool, public school each year. They must get the flu shot before the return to school after Christmas break. This requirement has pushed the line with me and I have started talking to people, researching and learning what I can do. So far I have not found many people who oppose my opinion on this. I have spoken to parents my age and Grandparents and even medical professionals who agree that it's too much, it's over kill and we should deserve more of a choice in this. So my question now is Why? If no one I speak to agrees with this requirement, a medical professional even says I wouldn't do it, why is this mandatory. Who decided this for our families? How do it stop it?

[ma2two]

I don't know the exact politics behind the decision, but I wanted to make sure you were aware that you can opt-out of childcare and school vaccine requirements.

In Connecticut, you can sign this form and give it to the daycare or school.

http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/PDF/deps/student/health/Religious_Exemption.pdf

[Coralstrr]

I am aware that I can opt out but many are not. This is becoming about much more to me than just my immediate family. It about coercion and trickery and people who are supposed to speak for us who really aren't. Thank you though.

[ma2two]

Something good could come from this, though. Parents who didn't previously question vaccine requirements might start now. I think more parents will be discussing vaccine requirements with each other, and more will become aware of the religious exemption.

[emmy526]

Originally Posted by Coralstrr 

I have been on the fence about vaccines since my daughter was born in 2009 so far she has been vaccinated mostly on schedule and few vaccine delayed a bit as to not inject her with 4 vaccines at once. I allowed her to get the varcilla vaccine even though I had reservations. We don't get the flu shot and I also refused the H1N1 vaccine the year it was being push onto the public. I recently found out the state of Ct has made the flu vaccine mandatory for all children in daycare, preschool, public school each year. They must get the flu shot before the return to school after Christmas break. This requirement has pushed the line with me and I have started talking to people, researching and learning what I can do. So far I have not found many people who oppose my opinion on this. I have spoken to parents my age and Grandparents and even medical professionals who agree that it's too much, it's over kill and we should deserve more of a choice in this. So my question now is Why? If no one I speak to agrees with this requirement, a medical professional even says I wouldn't do it, why is this mandatory. Who decided this for our families? How do it stop it?

i have 2 kids in high school and haven't heard of this til now...we got nothing in the mail or anything. I haven't seen it on the news either...altho i admit, i rarely watch mainstream news. If i have it on, its because i want to hear their weather prediction. 

At any rate, the new requirement doesnt' apply to my kids because i signed a waiver for them 10&11yrs ago.  Luckily here, we don't have to sign something every year. 

I'm guessing CT did that because New Jersey did it, and NY too, i believe...gotta keep up the the Joneses

[Coralstrr]

Originally I had read it on this site. I baby sit a little boy who goes to preschool and I drop him off, on the sign in sheet it kept saying flu shot with stars next to it so I asked so I can relay the message to his parents and the teacher told me that in January 2011 the flu shot became required every year before before the kids return from Christmas break. Also in 2010 Hep B became required on the list and next year 2012 Hep a will be required. None of this is being reported to us it's just suddenly being thrown at us.

[Mommel]

My recommendation is to contact your legislators to find out the laws, or find them online and read them. The only way to stop this from happening at the state level is to be proactive politically. Find out the organizations that propose these bills and join the organizations or committees that oppose them. Fortunately for me, my state and city are filled with political activists who fight this sort of legislation, so my state is pretty lax about this, despite media criticism and heavy ad campaigns launched in our area promoting across the board vaccines.

[LisaSedai]

http://nvicadvocacy.org/members/Home.aspx

Welcome to the NVIC Advocacy Portal (NVICAP)

Achieving and protecting the right to informed consent to vaccination is more important now than ever before, and we need your help to make that happen. NVIC wants to help you, our members, to organize and make a difference in your home state right where you live to protect and expand vaccine exemptions.  It is at the state level that mass vaccination policies are made, and it is at the state level where your action to protect your rights can have the greatest impact.  Also, when national vaccine issues occur, you will be plugged in to the information and action items necessary to make sure your voice is heard. 

[Taximom5]

I believe all states have medical and religious exemptions for vaccine requirements; most also have philosophical exemptions.  I'm not sure how you find out what kind of exemptions your state allows.

Even with exemptions, though, the media continues to blare that your child cannot attend school without the proper vaccines--they never mention the exemptions.  Neither do the schools, daycares, etc., though if you figure out how to do it and hand them the signed exemption form (for philosophical and religious, you just have to sign a form--with medical, you need a doctor's note), they accept it without a murmur.

The lying and doublespeak that goes on is just horrifying.

[Taximom5]

Oh--to answer the question in your post title ("Why is this happening, anyway?"), it's happening because the pharmaceutical industry is paying off politicians and sending representatives to discuss the horrible vaccine-preventable diseases with the health departments/school boards/day cares.  

They don't bother to mention that the latest independent studies indicate that the flu shot is as effective as...a placebo, nor that the flu shot has NOT decreased flu-related hospitalizations, nor that the PACKAGE INSERT of the flu shot states that "efficacy and safety have not been determined in pediatric or elderly populations."  They certainly don't mention that some people have died from flu shots, or developed Guillain-Barre syndrome, or lupus, or brain damage.

So the politicians, county health nurses, school boards, and day care operators believe what the rep tells them, and think that they are making the best decisions for the safety of all.

That's why this is happening.

Sorry.