In the space of 18 months, Augustina Ursino says, four local pediatricians turned her family away – all because she chooses not to have her children vaccinated.
Now Ursino, a Pacific Grove parent who writes for anti-vaccine website VacTruth.com, is speaking up against proposed legislation to eliminate the “personal beliefs” exemption for children enrolling in school.
If signed into law, SB 277 would allow parents to skip their children’s shots for medical reasons only.
“I don’t think anybody should have their rights taken away to choose what medical treatment they get, especially for their child,” Ursino says.
Senators Richard Pan, D-Sacramento, and Ben Allen, D-Redondo Beach, introduced the bill Feb. 19 in the wake of a measles outbreak that originated at Disneyland in mid-December.
Assemblyman Mark Stone, D-Scotts Valley, is a co-author. “With vaccination rates low in certain areas, we’re starting to see epidemics with diseases we hadn’t seen in a long time,” he says.
In the case of vaccinations, Stone says, the broader public good outweighs individual rights. “That’s what we’re looking at: what the potential harm is, what the potential benefit is, and try to make policy,” he says.
State. Sen. Bill Monning, D-Carmel, supported a successful 2012 bill requiring a doctor’s note for the vaccination exemption form. He hasn’t taken a position yet on SB 277, but he says he’ll be paying attention as a member of the Senate Health Committee.
“I am inclined to be supportive of public health measures that protect our communities,” he adds.
Ursino notes many children in Monterey County are not fully vaccinated. “I have seen firsthand, the unvaccinated children are thriving,” she says.
She stresses that while she questions the safety of immunizations, she’s an advocate for choice. “I don’t tell people they shouldn’t get vaccinated,” she says. “I encourage them to get informed.”
(2) comments
By my reading this bill does not allow any school age children to opt out NOR DELAY vaccines whether they are in public school, private school or home schooled. There are a few CDC medical reasons such as cancer treatment, but what if the child has an allergy or is genetically sensitive to aluminum or something else in the vaccine? Isn't part of the parents job to know and do what is best for their child regardless of the current fad or legislation?
As this bill stands currently all children have no option other than to be up to date on all their shots. Why aren't school administers and teachers also required to be up to date on the latest set of vaccine requirements? They can always get a job somewhere else if they don't want to get a required vaccine or a booster. Why is this bill only targeting the children who do not have fully developed immune systems?
Everyone is making it seem that these 2 to 10 percent of children are unvaccinated pariahs that need to be chastised and harried to get vaccinated before they infect the other 90 to 98% of the children who are already immune thanks to their choosing to vaccinate. At the same time there are teachers, staff, parents, delivery people and more walking through the schools who aren't being checked regarding their vaccination status. Hmmm?
Also what is the vaccination status of our dear legislators? I would bet there are many in this august group who are not fully vaccinated by current standards, but yet they choose an easy target (our children) with this legislation rather than encourage compliance by doing something like make public their own vaccination records and those of their staff.
I can't imagine that any parent would needlessly put their child at risk, so the question I would be asking is the reasons why anyone would choose to refuse or delays vaccines. I really don't think the antivax crowd is just a fad just as I don't think something like a peanut allergy for instance is just a fad.
There are reasons parents feel strongly enough to delay or skip vaccinations that should be explored by scientists and/or journalists before we all get railroaded into something we didn't want for the broader public good which in someone's opinion outweighs our individual rights yet again.
I support vaccines in general because they have done wonderful things, but I have trouble believing this bill is all about altruism. I think if we want to get to the true answer we need to follow the money.
This is about exposing children to diseases that haven't been an epidemic for ages; and do you know WHY they haven't been? VACCINES. Now, I'm all for people being informed before making a decision, but when that decision is whether or not to put your child's entire school at risk because of a perceived danger to yours, I'm quick to say that you're selfish. If the shoe was on the other foot, and someone was choosing to expose your child to potentially deadly illness because they don't want to get vaccinated, you'd be quick to throw them under the bus and raise Hell. If you're going to choose not to get vaccinated, you at least need to take responsibility for your actions. Homeschool your children. Inform the other parents your child comes into contact with., so they can CHOOSE not to let their child play anywhere near yours. I would certainly choose that.
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