Name: On this, old adversaries agree: Connecticut must remove the religious exemption to vaccines
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On this, old adversaries agree: Connecticut must remove the religious exemption to vaccines

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AdvertisementBy Special to Hartford CourantMay 22, 2020 at 6:00 amThe sun rose again this morning on a state emerging from a “stay-at-home” spring caused by a pandemic that has claimed over 3,500 of our family members, neighbors and friends. Since COVID-19 hit Connecticut, we have seen and heard about inspiring acts of humanity, we have practiced this newly found — and lifesaving— practice of social distancing, we have self-isolated and now we all await the return to work call so we can rebuild our lives and fire up our state’s economy.Despite the adjustments to our daily routine that make us all safer, and our success in slowing the spread of the virus, the question on almost everyone’s mind is: When will there be a vaccine? AdvertisementExperience teaches us that a successful vaccine is the best measure of protection against a dangerous virus. Yet as we look to that future, we find ourselves in the present confounded by diseases for which we have vaccines — measles, mumps and rubella — that only 20 years ago were declared “eliminated” by public health officials.As members of our citizen legislature consider a special session to attend to the unfinished business of the people, lawmakers must include in that work an end to non-medical exemptions for vaccines that prevent diseases from decades past. AdvertisementAs former leaders who at times were of opposing positions, we are united in believing that this policy will best serve the future health and economic well-being of our state’s residents.WeeklyPerspective on the week's biggest stories from the Courant's Opinion page &gt; The most recent data released by the Connecticut Department of Public Health shows that kindergartners in 134 Connecticut schools were below the 95% vaccination rate recommended by healthcare experts in infectious diseases to shield all of their classmates from a measles outbreak. While poverty is often a cause of reduced immunizations, the data shows that the rate of claimed exemptions — parents intentionally preventing their children from receiving vaccines — is rising throughout our state. Particularly at a time when the unknown effects of COVID-19 on children are emerging, we cannot continue to place our children and vulnerable populations at unreasonable risk.As former legislative leaders, we know that lawmaking in the Constitution State is strengthened by the diversity of thoughts and voices Connecticut’s people bring to the Capitol. This year saw hundreds of people express their strong and sincere views on the role of immunizations in protecting the health of their families and their children. Lawmakers have heard from people who strongly oppose vaccinations on the basis of freedom of choice alone. We understand their point of view, and we respectfully disagree.One person’s choice not to vaccinate their child becomes a community choice when it puts other people’s health at risk. Medical exemptions are necessary, appropriate and should continue to be protected by well-informed laws and practices that strengthen the public’s health and protect the vulnerable. But just as we can’t reason with a virus, we can reason with each other and act to protect the life and safety of the people we love.Our state’s history is full of moments when legislators and governors of both parties rose above politics to meet great challenges. This is one such time, and we urge Republicans and Democrats in the state House and Senate to meet the moment.To each legislator, we ask that you seek out medical science from those who can build your knowledge. Listen to as many people and points of view as you can. Develop as complete a picture with as many facts as you can. Be skeptical, but don’t let healthy skepticism be overrun by unhealthy invective or unfounded accusations. Don’t let the fear of the unknown obscure the fear — and reality — of the known.Few people have the honor and opportunity to serve their neighbors in the state Senate and House of Representatives. Few duties before you are more important than protecting the health, safety and well-being of Connecticut’s people. This is a priority all elected officials share, and now more than ever, together we urge you to perform that duty.Brendan Sharkey, a Democrat, is the former Speaker of the Connecticut House of Representatives. John McKinney, a Republican, is the former Minority Leader of the Connecticut state Senate. Advertisement

AdvertisementBy Special to Hartford CourantMay 22, 2020 at 6:00 amThe sun rose again this morning on a state emerging from a “stay-at-home” spring caused by a pandemic that has claimed over 3,500 of our family members, neighbors and friends. Since COVID-19 hit Connecticut, we have seen and heard about inspiring acts of humanity, we have practiced this newly found — and lifesaving— practice of social distancing, we have self-isolated and now we all await the return to work call so we can rebuild our lives and fire up our state’s economy.Despite the adjustments to our daily routine that make...

On this, old adversaries agree: Connecticut must remove the religious exemption to vaccines

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