A measles outbreak that has spread to 14 states and infected more than 100 people has brought attention to falling immunization rates in Vermont.
Immunization rates are dipping nationwide, and the most recent figures from the Health Department show that Vermont lags behind the rest of the U.S. and New England.
Thirteen percent of Vermont public school students were not fully immunized entering kindergarten, and for private school students entering kindergarten, the rate was 28 percent, according to figures from the department.
Children are required to have five immunizations to enter kindergarten, covering diphtheria, tetanus, polio, hepatitis B, chickenpox and measles, mumps and rubella (MMR). But parents can claim an exemption for their child on medical, religious or philosophical grounds.
Sen. Kevin Mullin, R-Rutland, says given the recent outbreak of measles in California, it’s time for lawmakers to reopen discussion of the state’s childhood vaccination laws. In 2012, Mullin sponsored legislation to eliminate the philosophical exemption, which allows parents not to vaccinate their children based on personal beliefs. His bill passed the Senate but did not win approval in the House.
Instead, the General Assembly passed a law requiring schools to report their vaccination rates and bolster educational requirements for parents who claimed an exemption.
The number of parents claiming a religious or philosophical exemption increased from 5.4 percent in 2012 to 6.1 percent last year, and the majority were philosophical.
For the MMR vaccine, more than 90 percent of exemptions claimed by parents were philosophical, according to Health Department figures.
Some of that might be due to a discredited study that linked the MMR vaccine with autism. Scientists now say there is no link between immunization and autism.
“That’s not a step in the right direction,” Mullin said of the declining immunization numbers.
The Legislature didn’t go far enough three years ago, and needs to revisit the issue, Mullin said. He plans to revive legislation to eliminate the philosophical exemption.
Gov. Peter Shumlin said he doesn’t think Vermont should do away with the philosophical exemption, but he believes immunization is the right thing for parents to do.
“I think we did a pretty good job of walking a difficult balance between common sense, vaccinating your kids, and parents who absolutely think it’s the wrong thing to do,” he said.
House Speaker Shap Smith, D-Morristown, said he would vote to remove the philosophical exemption, but he’s not sure whether opinions in the lower chamber have changed since Mullin’s bill failed in 2012.
The public health issues are serious enough that Vermont should consider carefully what kind of exemptions to allow, Smith said. The religious and medical exemptions make sense, but he worries the philosophical exemption is so broadly construed that you can “drive a truck through it,” he said.
But if Vermont does decide to remove the philosophical exemption there should be a discussion of what immunizations to require, he said.
“There’s this perception of immunization creep, and you have to acknowledge that’s a concern that’s out there, and you have to be disciplined in what you think is necessary from a public health standpoint,” Smith said.
In an email to supporters Thursday, the Vermont Coalition for Vaccination Choice, which supports the philosophical exemption, said parents’ right to make medical choices for their children is in “grave danger,” and urged people to call the governor and their legislators to oppose Mullin’s proposal.
