500 signatures reached
To: Connecticut Public Health Committee
Remove non-medical exemptions for public school vaccination
To protect the public health of all of Connecticut residents, please remove non-medical exemptions for public school vaccination requirements. We cannot allow one person's choice to impact the health of other people's children or other community members. We must ensure that the health of public school children and our communities is maintained in our state.
Why is this important?
The science and safety of vaccines is not debated by expert scientists. Society has protected millions of people from life threatening diseases through vaccinations.
In Connecticut, there is a worrying increase in the number of public school children that are not vaccinated against infectious diseases. The Connecticut Department of Public Health data shows that kindergartners in 134 Connecticut schools were below the 95% vaccination rate recommended by healthcare experts in infectious diseases to shield all of their classmates from a measles outbreak.
The increase in unvaccinated children has occurred as the rate of claimed religious exemptions — parents intentionally preventing their children from receiving vaccines — is rising throughout Connecticut. Yet, few religious organizations ban vaccines.
In Connecticut, there is a worrying increase in the number of public school children that are not vaccinated against infectious diseases. The Connecticut Department of Public Health data shows that kindergartners in 134 Connecticut schools were below the 95% vaccination rate recommended by healthcare experts in infectious diseases to shield all of their classmates from a measles outbreak.
The increase in unvaccinated children has occurred as the rate of claimed religious exemptions — parents intentionally preventing their children from receiving vaccines — is rising throughout Connecticut. Yet, few religious organizations ban vaccines.