Arizona puts thousands of schoolchildren at risk for measles

Another Arizona bill that would require schools to post vaccination coverage levels on their websites is also likely to disappear during this session.

House Bill 2352 "would simply provide transparency and critical health information to parents considering setting up an educational framework," said Bill's sponsor, Kelli Butler, D-Phoenix, The Republic of Arizona.

"It gives parents like me at least information that can affect where they send their child to school," said Kaye Lawson, a Phoenix parent whose 12-year-old son years spent nine years with a fragile immune system because of a cancer treatment.

"The average duration of treatment for children with cancer is two to three years, during which time the immune system of children is compromised," she said. "This bill would give parents more information and choice."

READ MORE: I am an adult worried about measles. What should I know?

In addition to requiring schools in Arizona to post vaccination rates on their websites, Butler's bill would require schools to indicate if a nurse is assigned to them. school and clinical degrees of people providing health services on campus.

Butler said The Republic Nancy Barto, R-Phoenix, declined to hold a hearing on the bill. Barto, the chair of the House's Human Services Committee, has not responded to phone calls and e-mails from the Republic this week.

Barto sponsored three other separate school vaccination bills to which the Arizona Public Health Association and other public health officials opposed, claiming that they would reduce immunization coverage and put in place endangering the herd's immunity.

The three bills were passed Thursday by the health committee following a hearing of several hours.

During the meeting, Barto challenged state data showing that vaccine exemptions had increased in Arizona. She said the rates "are static". She also allowed two vaccine critics to make a one hour presentation before hearing the testimonials on the bills.

Parents "hesitant about vaccines" get puzzling information

Any parent trying to do their own research on vaccination England sees contradictory information on the Internet and this creates confusion.

The National Vaccine Information Center is an organization that reviews vaccines, but its view is not immediately clear.

A 1998 study in The lancet have reported a link between autism and vaccines and, although the study has since been discredited, some vaccine critics continue to believe that there is a link.

Critics of vaccines who attended hearings before the Arizona Legislature this week argued that reports on herd immunity are a propaganda, that vaccines injure more people. Children do not realize it and doctors vaccinate children even if they are likely to have undesirable physical reactions.

Dr. Negin Blattman, a molecular virologist and deputy chief of infectious diseases in the US Department, said Dr. Negin Blattman, "oriented in a certain direction" and presented in a biased way that does not allow to consult all data and information. Veterans Affairs in Phoenix who attended one of the hearings.

"Vaccines prevent disease, we know it is true," Blattman said. "If you want to know if this is really true and about the complications of vaccines, ask our veterans who serve in countries where measles and polio outbreaks still exist and see how they are protected, their response to vaccines."

This week, the wife of the White House's Communications Officer tweeted about bringing back childhood diseases such as measles because they "keep you healthy and fight cancer," said the president. Washington Postreported.

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Darla Shine, the wife of the White House's director of communications, Bill Shine, tweeted about the benefits of measles and presented anti-vaccination claims. Justin Kircher from Veuer has more.
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"With more and more inaccurate content floating on social networks, it's very easy as a good responsible parent to create confusion," said England. "If you" secure vaccination "on Google, you will see many anti-immunization sites.

"It's not that so many parents are fiercely opposed to vaccination, but simply that many parents are confusing in front of all competing demands."

The previous academic year, Arizona had implemented a pilot program offering parents who were applying for a vaccine exemption for their children an online program based on science and the vaccines and diseases they prevent.

But after a reaction from parents, many of whom said they did not vaccinate their children, the state canceled the program. The Arizona Department of Health Services is employing to reinstate the educational program for the 2019-2020 academic year.

A well-organized community is wary of vaccine science

Vaccine-critical groups monitor vaccine bills in state legislatures, particularly in Arizona, and organize correspondence campaigns with legislators. Their arguments often focus on parental rights, individual rights and freedom.

More than 100 parents and individuals have sent emails to the governor's Regulatory Review Council last summer to oppose a Vaccine Science Training Course for parents who want to take advantage of the vaccine. 39, a vaccine exemption for their children.

Many of these writers sent the same letter, stating that they would be opposed to any further action to obtain an immunization exemption. A course created with material from public health organizations is "one-sided," said one author.

"At a time when science is less and less invoked or valued, and is considered a mere opinion, then it becomes really difficult to counter all this misinformation," said England. "To a certain extent, the more we try to (counter misinformation), the worse we do it."

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According to the Center for Disease Control, there have been more than 100 cases of measles since the beginning of 2019, of which more than half are concentrated in the state of Washington. But health officials say the epidemic is boosting vaccination and awareness (14 February)
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Leading public health organizations support vaccinations, citing scientific evidence that they are much safer than the life-threatening diseases they prevent.

Yet for some people, doubts persist.

"For basic anti-vaccines, it's not a scientific question, it's a belief," said England. "But, in reality, it's the only health choice we're all together in. And we have to either make the decision of a society to protect ourselves by using this tool, or not."

England said that choosing not to vaccinate your child would amount to not respecting the speed limit because you could drive as fast as you wanted, and this is not the case of others, but yours.

"We do not let people do that because it puts others at risk," he said.