Three things to know about California's mandatory vaccination bill

SACRAMENTO, California (KCRA) –

California would give state public health officials, instead of local doctors, the power to decide which children can avoid vaccines before going to school, under the legislation proposed on Tuesday to counter what their supporters call dummy exemptions.

The measure would also allow state and county health officials to revoke medical exemptions granted by physicians if they prove to be fraudulent or contrary to federal immunization standards.

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Under the proposed law, doctors would send to the state health department the reason they recommend the exemption and should certify that they were examining the patient.

Here are three things to know about the Immunization Bill:

1) Why the sense of urgency regarding compulsory vaccinations?

Measles cases are increasing throughout the country and in California.

In 2016, 86 measles cases were reported in the United States of America; but by 2017, that number had risen to 120. In 2018, the number of measles cases more than tripled to 372, according to figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. So far this year, 314 cases have been reported across the country.

Measles is a highly contagious disease that can be fatal, according to Dr. Dean Blumberg, Chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at UC Davis Children's Hospital in Sacramento.

"We know that measles kills hundreds of thousands of children every year," Blumberg said.

Only a few years ago, doctors were optimistic about measles.
Today, the medical community is increasingly concerned about unvaccinated children.

"These high unvaccinated rates put children and communities at risk," said Dr. Arnold Leff, Public Health Officer for Santa Cruz County. "As a health officer, it worries me a lot."

"Measles is one of the most infectious diseases known to mankind," Blumberg said. "And in fact, when it enters a vulnerable population, 90% of people end up suffering from it."

2) What is the effectiveness of the MMR vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella?

"Two doses of measles vaccine provide 97% protection against measles," said Blumberg. "This is one of our most effective vaccines."

Blumberg said that children should be vaccinated for the first time between 12 and 15 months, then receive a second dose between 4 and 6 years.

Some parents have worried about possible links with autism and other negative effects.

"I am very worried about my own grandson because he currently has different physical conditions," said Mary Kretzmann, a grandmother from Nevada City. "If you look at the tests, they would make it more vulnerable to the injuries caused by the vaccine."

"There is no scientific evidence that there is a link between the measles vaccine and autism," Blumberg said. "There is no connection between the two."

3) How do parents react to the potential loss of medical exemptions for vaccinations?

Many parents support efforts to increase vaccination rates. At the state capitol, one parent warned opponents of mandatory vaccinations: "We are attacking your doctors who give these infringing exemptions."

Some parents said that the government did not have the right to insist that their children be vaccinated.

"It's not up to the state to decide what is in the best interests of our children," said Denise Aguilar of Stockton.

"We are parents, we raise our children," added Aguilar. "We know what is best for them. The government should never tell us what to do with our bodies. "

Sacramento's father, Jeffrey Perrine, has echoed these feelings.

"The most important thing about this is that we are not anti-vaccination," Perrine said. "It's a question of freedom of choice. As parents, we want to have the choice to take care of our children in the way that best suits us. "

For Rebecca Giannini, a mother of Davis who brought her two children to the Capitol, the issue is the confidentiality of medical information.

"My medical history and those of my children are confidential," Giannini said. "That's the reason we have HIPAA."

HIPAA is the 1996 law on transferability and liability for health insurance that protects medical information.

"So, it's up to no one else to decide what's in my family's medical history," added Giannini.

MOLDS INFORMATION

Measles is an extremely contagious viral disease that is spread through the air when a sick person coughs or sneezes.

Infected people are usually contagious about four days before the onset of their rash and then four days later. People who have received two doses of measles vaccine have less than 1% chance of contracting the disease after exposure.

Symptoms begin with fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes. These symptoms are followed by a rash that usually appears on the face along the hairline or behind the ears and extends to the rest of the body.

The complications of measles can include diarrhea, ear infections and pneumonia. Serious complications can be fatal. Infants, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems are the most susceptible to the complications of measles.

Officials said that if you have measles symptoms, you should call your doctor. You are requested not to go out in public, in a clinic, hospital or doctor's office. Do not go to the doctor before calling.

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