Our country is experiencing a significant measles outbreak, on a pace to be the worst year since 2000, thanks to negligent parents who don’t immunize their children. Washington has one of the worst vaccination rates in the country and has been hit harder than most states.
Many ask, “My kid is vaccinated, so why worry?” Because no vaccine is perfect. The measles vaccine is very effective (unvaccinated children are 35 times more likely to contract measles), but it’s only 95 to 98 percent effective. If a child with measles enters a classroom full of vaccinated children, the odds are good that one student will become infected. Do you want your child to be that one?
Several state legislatures have realized that allowing exemptions for “personal/philosophical” reasons has endangered everyone and have introduced bills to eliminate them.
Unfortunately, even though the Washington bill had 27 co-sponsors (almost a third of the House), even though it was supported by Gov. Inslee and the Washington State Medical Association, and even though it would have saved lives, it died without getting a vote in the full House.
Pushback from hysterical constituents led ignorant and/or cowardly lawmakers to oppose the measure. It’s appalling that legislators trust anti-vaccine Playboy playmate Jenny McCarthy over scientists and put children’s lives at risk to appease the unfounded fears of anti-science parents. Any legislator who opposed this bill should be ashamed.
I fear it may take children dying in a future outbreak for legislators to get the courage to take action.
Matthew Barry
Issaquah
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