To: The Maine State Senate
SAFER SCHOOLS: Remove Maine's Non-Medical Vaccine Exemptions
We support Maine LD 798 - An Act to Protect Maine Children and Students By Repealing Religious and Philosophical Exemptions from the Laws Governing Immunization Requirements
Why is this important?
The Maine State Senate will vote on this bill soon - likely on Thursday, May 2nd. We need to show our Senators that we support this bill as written, with no further amendments. Removing only philosophical exemptions and keeping religious exemptions will simply shift how people claim exemptions. This loophole will perpetuate the poor community immunity rates that are currently putting Maine at risk of an outbreak. Removing both philosophical and religious exemptions will make our schools, communities, and state safer.
Maine has one of the highest vaccination refusal rates in the nation. With a 5.3% opt out rate, our state is on the precipice of losing the benefits of community immunity in our communities. When children aren’t vaccinated, we’re all at risk, especially infants, children and adults with weakened immune systems, and the elderly.
We stand with Maine parents that demand action now to protect our children from preventable diseases. We demand protection for our most vulnerable children who rely on the protection of community immunity because they can’t be vaccinated. We must recognize that this as a worsening public health crisis and take action now.
We believe that all children should be vaccinated in order to attend school and day care, unless there is a legitimate medical reason for not doing so. Maine families recognize that by enrolling their children in schools and day care means they are part of a larger community. Part of existing in a larger community is acknowledging our duties as a member of that community, especially to those who are most vulnerable. We stand with the parents whose children are undergoing chemotherapy, who should not be forced to fret about whether their child will die from a preventable disease if she attends school in Maine. We stand with the parents who find it unacceptable that whooping cough is spreading through our elementary schools, forcing parents to miss weeks of work, and putting infant siblings and older relatives at serious risk of long-term complications and even death.
We urgently support Representative Tipping’s bill in the Maine legislature: “An Act To Protect Maine Students from Preventable Diseases by Repealing Certain Exemptions from the Laws Governing Immunization Requirements.”
We stand, as members of our Maine community, with our kids and with our neighbors who are at greatest risk from vaccine preventable diseases. We strongly urge you to listen to us, as concerned constituents, parents, and Mainers and support this bill. The health of our children and our community depends on you.
Maine has one of the highest vaccination refusal rates in the nation. With a 5.3% opt out rate, our state is on the precipice of losing the benefits of community immunity in our communities. When children aren’t vaccinated, we’re all at risk, especially infants, children and adults with weakened immune systems, and the elderly.
We stand with Maine parents that demand action now to protect our children from preventable diseases. We demand protection for our most vulnerable children who rely on the protection of community immunity because they can’t be vaccinated. We must recognize that this as a worsening public health crisis and take action now.
We believe that all children should be vaccinated in order to attend school and day care, unless there is a legitimate medical reason for not doing so. Maine families recognize that by enrolling their children in schools and day care means they are part of a larger community. Part of existing in a larger community is acknowledging our duties as a member of that community, especially to those who are most vulnerable. We stand with the parents whose children are undergoing chemotherapy, who should not be forced to fret about whether their child will die from a preventable disease if she attends school in Maine. We stand with the parents who find it unacceptable that whooping cough is spreading through our elementary schools, forcing parents to miss weeks of work, and putting infant siblings and older relatives at serious risk of long-term complications and even death.
We urgently support Representative Tipping’s bill in the Maine legislature: “An Act To Protect Maine Students from Preventable Diseases by Repealing Certain Exemptions from the Laws Governing Immunization Requirements.”
We stand, as members of our Maine community, with our kids and with our neighbors who are at greatest risk from vaccine preventable diseases. We strongly urge you to listen to us, as concerned constituents, parents, and Mainers and support this bill. The health of our children and our community depends on you.