In its first-of-a-kind report, the centers said that 6.2 percent of kindergarteners in the state have parent-signed exemptions for one or more vaccines for diseases such as polio, whooping cough, measles, hepatitis B, chickenpox and other deadly diseases.
The study highlights concerns state officials have had for years as rates for exemptions grew. “Most of today’s parents weren’t around to see how bad diseases like measles and whooping cough were before vaccines helped bring them under control,” said Secretary of Health Mary Selecky. “We’ve done a good job fending off those diseases with vaccines, but we can’t be complacent. We’re seeing them start to make a comeback and too many of our kids are vulnerable.”
The parent exemptions overrule school requirements for these vaccines.
But beginning next year, parents will be forced to consult with a physician on the advantages and disadvantages of immunizations before they can get their child exempted.
Senate Bill 5005 passed the Senate on a vote of 34-12 and the House 66-29. It was signed into law by Gov. Chris Gregoire on May 10 and goes into effect on July 22.
We agree with the bill sponsor, Sen. Karen Keiser, D-Kent, who said the new law will lead to more informed parents and thus should reduce the number of children who enter school without immunizations.
Keiser admits that she lost her cool while trying to push the bill through the Legislature this year. What angered – and frightened her – were the 200 to 300 parents who showed up with kids in tow to object to her legislation. Keiser said she was concerned that those unimmunized children put themselves and others at risk.
“We have terrible places around the state where we are on the brink of an outbreak,” Keiser said. “The bill was killed last year and we had two children who died of whooping cough. That’s totally preventable. Those children should not have died.”
Michele Roberts, the state’s immunization program manager, said not immunizing children puts the rest of a community at risk, especially those too young to be vaccinated. Parents need to realize “they’re making the decision for the community,” she said.
Keiser is convinced that the new law will be very helpful for parents who she describes as “less attached to current information.”
Too many people don’t read newspapers anymore, she said. They only go to websites they agree with and are thus caught up in self-affirmation versus real information.
“That’s scary,” Keiser said. “They are not immunizing their children and that affects their kids and their neighbors’ kids. Of course the information stream problem doesn’t just apply to immunizations.”
Under the law before the first day of school, students at Washington’s public and private schools and children attending licensed day care must provide proof of immunization against 11 vaccine-preventable diseases.
However, a parent or guardian may exempt a child for one of several reasons including if a physician advises against a specific vaccine for a child. To opt out, parents sign a form saying immunization conflicts with their religious beliefs, or that they have philosophical or personal objections to the child’s immunization.
Nearly all states allow medical and religious exemptions from their school immunization requirements. But Washington is one of a few states that allow exemptions based on philosophical or personal objections.
We don’t believe a personal objection is enough – especially given the community ramifications.
SB 5005 requires that parents who want to exempt their child from school immunization requirements sign and submit a form to the school district. The form must cite either medical, religious, or personal objections and must include a statement, signed by a health care practitioner, that the parent or guardian has been informed of the benefits and risks of the immunization to the child. The medical provider can be a licensed physician, naturopath, physician assistant, or advanced registered nurse practitioner.
Supporters say that the change in law will lead to parents with more knowledge about the consequences of their actions.
We agree. There is nothing wrong with parents gaining additional information and counseling from health care professionals before making the decision whether to have their child immunized.
