Title
To urge the Ohio Legislature to pass HB 536 to require, except in cases of medical or religious exemption, that children enrolled in a state licensed childcare facility be immunized in accordance with the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Body
WHEREAS, Columbus is currently home to two major outbreaks, one based at The Ohio State University and another community based outbreak in Columbus, Franklin County, and Delaware County; and
WHEREAS, the central Ohio mumps outbreak accounts for over 2/3 of the nation’s mumps cases; and
WHEREAS, the best way to protect individual residents, and the community as a whole, from mumps is through vaccinations with the MMR vaccine; and
WHEREAS, while no vaccine provides 100% protection, two doses of the mumps vaccine are 88% effective in protecting recipients from the disease; and
WHEREAS, in addition to the MMR vaccine, individuals can help prevent getting and spreading the mumps and other diseases by frequent hand washing, especially before eating; not sharing cups and utensils; covering sneezes and coughs; frequent cleaning of high-touch surfaces such as door knobs; and by remaining at home if sick; and
WHEREAS, more people are relying on group immunity and opting out of vaccinations, not just for MMR, but for many of the routinely administered childhood vaccines; and
WHEREAS, Ohio is the only state to not yet have a state law requiring immunization for licensed childcare facilities, despite the fact that most states have had such laws in place since the early 1980’s; and
WHEREAS, although, the State of Ohio has already recognized the importance of certain vaccinations before children enroll in kindergarten, many communicable diseases, preventable through vaccines, can happen before children start school or after they have entered postsecondary education with people who have avoided vaccinations up to that point, as evidenced by...
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