Parents must speak out about rise in dangerous vaccine exemptions
After a summer filled with fun and sun here in Austin, it’s time to get back to school. I’m excited about what the new year will bring. I’m looking forward to meeting my older son’s new teacher, getting to know his new classmates and working with my PTA as I take on the role of treasurer.
One of the things I expect out of my child’s school is a safe environment — and that includes safety from preventable diseases such as measles and whooping cough. My background in science — and, more importantly, my love for my children and the sense of duty I feel toward my community — led me to decide to fully vaccinate my children on schedule. I consider it my responsibility to do what I can to protect my kids from things that can harm them.
I also owe it to my community to do my part to ensure we are protected from the threat of an outbreak. As a parent, you must ask yourself: Do you care about children — not just your own, but others’ too? And what about the little babies too young to receive their vaccines? Or the elderly? Or the immuno-compromised?
Thankfully, if you vaccinate, you can rest assured that evidence and science are on your side. The vaccines we have on our schedule have been proven to be effective. For instance, the MMR shot provides the best protection from measles, mumps and rubella. Let’s take an even closer look at measles.
A schedule that includes both prescribed doses of the MMR vaccine is 97 percent effective at preventing measles, which is highly contagious, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Before the measles vaccine program was introduced, 3 to 4 million people got measles every year in the U.S. — and almost 50,000 people each year were harmed by the effects of measles, such as encephalitis, sickness requiring hospitalization or death. The vaccine led to a more than 99 percent reduction in measles cases — an amazing accomplishment that deserves celebration.
I am so happy that there is almost no chance that my children will have to consider measles — or any other vaccine-preventable disease — a normal part of their childhood.
I am also grateful that vaccines have also been shown to be safe through numerous scientific studies. The vaccine-injury rate is incredibly low: less than 0.003 percent of the total vaccines given, according to government data. Furthermore, the major science, medical and public health organizations and agencies — American Academy of Pediatrics, CDC, National Academy of Sciences and World Health Organization — agree that vaccinations are beneficial and safe.
Despite all the science and evidence that supports the effectiveness and safety of vaccines, we still have individuals who choose not to vaccinate their children for non-medical reasons. Sadly, the number of those individuals has grown. In 2003, Texas had less than 3,000 non-medical exemptions filed statewide; compare that to the 2017-18 school year, when almost 57,000 non-medical exemptions were filed. This is a 20-fold increase in the number of non-medical exemptions in Texas.
Most Texans still vaccinate, but now it’s not just up to us to do the right thing by vaccinating on schedule; we must also speak up about the benefits of vaccines. Like our responsibility as parents to protect our kids from harm, we must also fight misinformation and stem the growing tide of anti-vaccine sentiment before it further damages our community protection from diseases.
From one parent to another, I ask that you vaccinate your children. It’s the right thing to do — and it protects your kids and benefits countless others. Science supports your decision to vaccinate, and it’s more crucial than ever to keep our kids safe from disease and the lies that threaten to harm them.
Time to stop all the drama swirling around President Trump’s actions regarding security clearances.
Re: Aug. 20 article, “Lawsuit demands Georgetown provide information on solar panel cost.”
As a recent newcomer to Georgetown, I strongly support Georgetown’s 100 percent renewable energy policy. Georgetown is the only Texas city to operate entirely on renewable energy.
That policy is being challenged by the Texas Public Policy Foundation in the form of requests by one of its adherents, Terrill Putnam. He is requesting accounting for the solar panels that are installed on the Westside Service Center, a public building. A payback analysis has already been performed and is available through open records. The Texas Public Policy Foundation is misnamed. It has no regard for public policy for public good. It is a lobbying arm of the fossil fuel industry.
It is important for the public to realize that acting for the Texas Public Policy Foundation means that Putnam is simply a cat’s paw for the fossil fuel industry.