1 week Ago
THE AUTHORS of the recent op-ed “ Vaccine mandates should be in the hands of leaders we elect ” falsely state: “Support for HB 357 isn’t just about vaccine policy — it’s about restoring the balance of power. It’s about ensuring that decisions affecting our freedoms and rights are made by elected officials who answer to the people, not by unelected bureaucrats who operate without oversight.” To clarify, HB 357 is essentially another anti-vaccine bill under the guise of “freedom.
” The bill removes requirements for three important vaccines that help prevent disease and death: Varicella, Hepatitis B, and Haemophilus Influenza type B (Hib). Vaccine requirements for school entry in New Hampshire have been in place for more than 40 years, with exemptions for medical reasons or religious beliefs. As a nurse with more than 30 years of experience caring for Granite State patients, I have administered thousands of vaccines and have confidence in their effectiveness in preventing unnecessary suffering.
If you have ever seen a child struggle to breathe because they have an infection that they were too young to be vaccinated against, you understand the suffering I am referring to. The bottom line is that childhood immunization requirements are essential in protecting our communities, especially those who cannot be vaccinated, preventing disease and death. We all have the right to be protected from vaccine-preventable disease and death.
It is unreasonable to leave this type of public health decision to the elected officials who come and go and may be influenced by political trends, rather than experts who dedicate their careers to serving and protecting the people of New Hampshire. Contact you representative and express your opposition to HB 357..
