I believe Washington lawmakers should continue to push for House Bill 1638 in order to eliminate personal exemption for the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine for schools and day care centers, and protect our youth from contracting diseases that could severely hurt them.
With the recent outbreak of measles, we have seen how vaccinations play a huge part in the well-being of children. We saw how quickly the measles spread, and vaccinated kids were not at risk. Vaccines have been proven and tested to be safe and effective, so why are we against them if they exist to keep our youth healthy? If Washington passes HB 1638, our worries for future outbreaks would lessen.
My sister, who teaches in Vancouver public schools, saw the effect of the measles outbreak at her school as there were students being pulled from class due to not being vaccinated, or actually contracting the disease. This causes students to miss class and valuable learning material being taught every day. The first step in learning in the classroom is being there. With that being said, vaccinations play a vital role in kids’ lives and can even affect their learning.
