Name: The anti-vaccination debate turns partisan as Republican lawmakers in Connecticut oppose efforts in General Assembly to eliminate religious exemption for immunization
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The anti-vaccination debate turns partisan as Republican lawmakers in Connecticut oppose efforts in General Assembly to eliminate religious exemption for immunization

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AdvertisementBy Hartford CourantFeb 17, 2021 at 8:42 pmFor years, the loudest voices in the anti-vaccination movement were environmentally conscious liberal parents who embraced unproven theories that vaccines caused autism and could lead to other health risks.But in recent years, the focus has changed. In Connecticut and around the country, the debate over childhood immunizations is now a proxy war for Republicans concerned about religious freedom, parents’ rights, and the government’s role in enforcing public health rules such as masks to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.AdvertisementThat shift was evident Tuesday, during a marathon legislative hearing on a pair of bills that would make it harder for parents to opt out of vaccinating their children.“Progressive, Republican ... whatever, it’s not even about that,’' said Rep. Lezlye Zupkus, R-Prospect. “It’s about our children.”AdvertisementZupkus said she’s not “an anti-vaxxer,’' adding that her own children have received their required immunizations. “But I, like you, have the right to say what my children get vaccinated with or not,’' she said. “This is not a partisan issue in my opinion. It is about our children and we are their parents.”Under current law, Connecticut parents who cite religious objections can bypass the requirement that children must be inoculated against measles and other highly contagious preventable diseases before enrolling in school.Two bills before the General Assembly would eliminate the religious exemption, and bar unvaccinated children from public schools. (Parents of children who have a compromised immune system or another underlying medical condition that can put them at risk of an adverse outcome from a vaccine can still secure a medical exemption from a physician.)Nearly 2,000 people — almost all of them critics of the legislation — signed up to testify at the public health committee hearing, which was held via Zoom. The discussion is expected to last 24 hours before concluding at 9 a.m. Wednesday.The overwhelming majority of parents comply with the state’s immunization rules but in some pockets of the state, vaccination rates have dipped in recent years, leading some public health experts to worry about herd immunity.Opponents of House Bill 6423 and Proposed Senate Bill 568 dismiss those concerns, saying individuals who chose not to vaccinate their children pose no health risk to others, despite testimony from physicians to the contrary.But the social cost of forcing parents to immunize their children are great, said Lysa Marie Molnar, a mother and grandmother from eastern Connecticut. “We do not co-parent with the government here in America,’' she said.Many of the Republican lawmakers on the public health panel said they were reluctant to eliminate the religious exemption, even as they took pains to point out that they are not anti-science and, in fact, their own children are vaccinated.Advertisement“I am not somebody who is against vaccines,’' said Sen. Heather Somers, R-Groton and the ranking member on the public health committee. “I am married to a clinician, a heart doctor.’'Rep. Whit Betts, R-Bristol, said he views his stance against the bill as a matter of conscience.“It’s not a question of Republican and Democrat,’' he said. “The overwhelming majority of us believe we should have the final say in terms of the development and health care of our kids and our family. It would be highly disappointing ... if this moved forward.”Bills to strip the religious exemption from state law have come up several times in the General Assembly over the past five years but each time, the effort failed.Prasad Srinivasan, a physician from Glastonbury, supported a similar proposal when he served as a Republican member of the House of Representatives in 2017. He did not testify at Tuesday’s hearing but said if he were in the legislature now, he would support making it harder for parents to claim a religious exemption.“Through this process of herd immunity, you protect yourself and everyone else as well,’' Srinivasan, who returned to private practice after an unsuccessful run for governor in 2018, said in an interview Tuesday.Advertisement“It should be totally apolitical,’' he said of the vaccine debate. “It is purely about public health. There’s no D attached to it and no R attached to it.”But Republican opposition to vaccination mandates has only solidified in recent years. Instead of focusing on health risks or the failure of pharmaceutical companies, many GOP lawmakers framed their criticism in libertarian terms, echoing the arguments made by those who disparage mask mandates and other COVID-19 containment strategies.“These bills erode religious freedom and parental rights,’' said Rep. Brian Lanoue, R-Griswold. “[It is] both morally wrong and wrong in the name of public policy to go after these cherished freedoms.”Peter Hotez, a pediatrician and global health expert at the Baylor College of Medicine, has studied the anti-vaccination movement. Social media and e-commerce platforms such as Amazon have helped spread the growth of vaccine conspiracy theories and the COVID-19 pandemic has further fueled the skepticism about the government’s public health initiatives.“What was an anti-vaccine movement became an anti-science movement,’' said Hotez, who was interviewed by phone. “It’s tied to the political extremism of the far-right.’'Hotez, who grew up in West Hartford, said he’s seen similar anti-vaccine activism among Republicans in Texas and other states. “I’m really disappointed it’s reached Connecticut,’' he said.AdvertisementThe public health committee is expected to vote on the bills next month.Daniela Altimari can be reached at . Advertisement

AdvertisementBy Hartford CourantFeb 17, 2021 at 8:42 pmFor years, the loudest voices in the anti-vaccination movement were environmentally conscious liberal parents who embraced unproven theories that vaccines caused autism and could lead to other health risks.But in recent years, the focus has changed. In Connecticut and around the country, the debate over childhood immunizations is now a proxy war for Republicans concerned about religious freedom, parents’ rights, and the government’s role in enforcing public health rules such as masks to reduce the spread of the...

The anti-vaccination debate turns partisan as Republican lawmakers in Connecticut oppose efforts in General Assembly to eliminate religious exemption for immunization

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