One of the topics Bob Duff covered (in HFFC's January meeting) in his preview of the CT "short session" was the Health Committee's consideration of the repeal of the religious exemption for vaccines. The Stamford Advocate had a long article, "Both sides ready for battle over repeal of religious exemption for vaccines." It's interesting reading, especially for those of us who plan to go to the Wednesday 2/19 hearing in Hartford. Read it. Join us?
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COUCH ACTIVISM: Even if you cannot take the time to go up to Hartford Wednesday 2/19/2020, you can support the proposed Repeal of Religious Exemption for Vaccines. A 2/13/2020 Email from Pat McCann spells out how to comment on the proposed Repeal of Religious Exemption for Vaccines. Here is his text:
The bill to repeal religious exemptions for vaccines needs your support by submitting written testimony to phtestimony@cga.ct.gov as soon as possible or to testify in person at the public hearing on Wednesday Feb 19th in Room 2E of the Legislative Office Building located at 300 Capitol Ave #5100, Hartford, CT 06106. Getting there by 7:00am would be prudent. I will be there.
Please note: While the anti-vaxxer lobby in our state has small numbers it is very vocal so every small thing you can do to support this bill will be very helpful in making sure our government makes the rational decision
To expedite your written testimony I have attached a Microsoft Word document that you can use as a template. Just follow these instructions:
Download the attachment to your computer and open the document.
Modify it as you see fit: use your own reasons why you support the bill, add your name and contact information. (If you would like to read the bill or see all the other testimony once it is available, you can visit the bill's web page here.)
Save the document as a PDF, append your last name to the title of the document
email the PDF to phtestimony@cga.ct.gov
Thanks, Amy, for posting the article. If I weren't working on the 17th, I would join you in Hartford. I attended the Dathan/Duff/Perone/Simms Town Hall Meeting at NCC on Jan.27th, There were a number of anti-vaxxers who were doing a pretty good job of monopolizing the Q&A. One of them, disappointingly, was a Norwalk public school teacher.
Duff was the only politician who spoke unequivocally in favor of repeal of the “religious exemption.” Perone hedged and danced around the response, which was disappointing. I suspect he favors repeal, I wish he hadn't been so self-servingly wishy-washy.
Dathan hedged a bit, too, never came right out with yay or nay. She gave examples of knowing one person whose child suffered blindness after contracting measles and someone else who is immuno-compromised and could be at risk without herd immunity. In response to an audience member who claimed religious objections because, according to this woman, DNA from aborted fetuses is used in some vaccines, Dathan said that she was raised in the Catholic church, and that it does not have a policy against vaccines.
Simms was unequivocally in favor of continuing the religious exemption because, well, he apparently holds strong religious beliefs and I suspect has formed his position purely on the basis of his empathy with others of religious beliefs. I spoke with him after the meeting to express my disappointment that he would prioritize religious beliefs over public health, after which he confessed that he hasn’t really read the scientific data and invited me to send him some.