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Issue: Communication about school vaccine exemptions

Examples of State Bill(s): 

  • LA HB 47. Requires that any communication issued to students or their parents or guardians relative to immunization requirements include exemption information. 

What it means:  

  • Sharing information with parents regarding vaccinations is an import part of the educational process.  This legislation would mandate that when information goes out on vaccinations, it would also need to include information on how to get an exemption from vaccination requirements (medical, religious or philosophical).   

Key Talking Points: 

  • This legislation is unnecessary. All states already allow for some time of exemptions. Parents and students are already made aware of exemption options upon entering school & schools are required to accept all medical and non-medical exemptions under current law. The state health department already posts exemption information on its website and provides the necessary forms. 
  • This legislation aggravates vaccine hesitancy rather than educate and address concerns. This legislation targets parents with the intent of creating skepticism in childhood vaccines and can place doubt about why children should be immunized, which would lead to reducing vaccine uptake, opening the door for diseases like measles and polio to come back by chipping away at one of the bedrocks of public health tools-immunization. 
  • Requiring increased communications about exemptions presents an unnecessary burden to schools. 
  • Routine childhood vaccination rates have decreased as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving kids and communities at risk.  
  • [If all vaccines]. This legislation affects all routine childhood immunizations needed to get into school, for example, measles and polio vaccination.  

Bottom line: 

  • Vaccination is an effective way to prevent or mitigate disease in an individual and a population. 
  • Vaccines not only protect oneself, but families, neighbors, and communities.  They are especially important for children, older adults, for those who are immunocompromised, and those who may not be able to get vaccinated.   
  • COVID-19 vaccinations protect individuals from severe illness, hospitalization and death and have helped Americans get back to work and to our daily lives.   
  • We should work together to encourage all individuals to receive all recommended vaccines.   

Vote NO on any attempt to impede vaccine education   

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