Republicans And The Anti-Vaccination Movement: ‘Appeals To Freedom Are Like The Gateway Drug To Pseudoscience’
What’s new about the current anti-vaccine movement is the argument that government has no right to force parents to vaccinate their kids before they enter school, which is drawing in some Republican lawmakers who might have had little interest in the debate previously. In other news on the measles outbreak: more cases, summer camp and medical exemptions.
Politico:
How The Anti-Vaccine Movement Crept Into The GOP Mainstream
The anti-vaccine movement, which swelled with discredited theories that blamed vaccines for autism and other ills, has morphed and grown into a libertarian political rebellion that is drawing in state Republican officials who distrust government medical mandates. Anti-vaccine sentiments are as old as vaccines themselves — and it’s been nearly 300 years since smallpox immunization began in what is now the United States. Liberal enclaves from Boulder, Colo., to Marin County, Calif., have long been pockets of vaccine skepticism. But the current measles epidemic, with more than 880 cases reported across 25 states of a disease declared eradicated in the U.S. 19 years ago, shows it gaining power within the GOP mainstream. (Allen, 5/27)
The Hill:
New Measles Cases Reported In Outbreak That Touches 26 States
U.S. officials reported 60 new measles cases last week amid an outbreak of the disease that has reached 26 states. The number of measles cases rose 6.8 percent during the week ending on May 24, Reuters reported on Monday, citing data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (Frazin, 5/27)
The Wall Street Journal:
Ready For Summer Camp? Measles Shots Now Required For Many
Sunscreen? Check. Swimming goggles? Check. This summer, the most important part of the camp checklist for many New Yorkers is proof of measles immunization. Parents have been warned that their children could be turned away if they don’t have it. Facing pressure from public-health authorities amid the worst measles outbreak in more than two decades, summer-camp directors across the state are tightening vaccination requirements, and some are refusing unvaccinated children. (West, 5/25)
The Associated Press:
Maine To End Non-Medical Exemptions For Vaccinations
Democratic Gov. Janet Mills on Friday signed into law a bill that eliminates religious and philosophical exemptions for vaccinations in Maine. Maine has one of the highest rates of non-medical vaccine exemptions in the nation, and health officials say the opt-out rates appear to be rising. (5/24)
