• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • News
  • Business
  • Technology
  • Marketing
  • Entertainment
  • Opinions
  • About
  • Contribute

Group Blawg

Fresh Insight into Popular Legal Topics

Washington’s New Vaccination Law

November 29, 2019 by Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

Schools in the tri-city area of Washington state are enforcing mandatory vaccinations for students in public and private school districts. A law passed in June 2019 has removed philosophical and personal reasons for MMR vaccination exemptions. Students without proof of vaccinations are being excluded from attending school until they receive the necessary vaccinations.

 

The law was passed after multiple measles outbreaks across the country. Due to its highly contagious nature, the illness needs an incredibly high herd immunity to avoid spreading to the most vulnerable members of the community. 

 

How Many Students Have Been Excluded?

Since schools are required to give families a warning before excluding students, the vast majority of students have complied with the new law. At this point, almost six months after the law passed, fewer than 50 students in the Pasco School District (which serves over 17,000 students) are currently being excluded. Statewide statistics are not yet available.

Who Is Still Exempt?

Students who have religious or medical reasons for being unable to receive vaccinations are still exempt from the MMR shot and will have to fill out an official exemption form. Philosophical and personal exemptions are still acceptable for diphtheria, hep B, Hib, pneumococcal, polio, whooping cough, tetanus, and chickenpox vaccines.

 

Is This an Attack on Civil Liberties and Personal Freedom?

This raises the question of what you consider personal freedom. If you are free to carry illnesses, you are restricting someone else’s freedom to live by risking their health. If they want to exercise their right to live a full life but are unable to get vaccinated due to health reasons, they might have to restrict your right to not get vaccinated for personal reasons. The question is whether we want to live in a society that only protects those who are already able to protect themselves. 

Filed Under: News, Opinion

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • How Filing for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Will Affect the Boy Scouts of America
  • Liabilities of Not Getting a Flu Shot
  • Early Impacts of AB 5 in California
  • When Doctors Have to Offer Untested Procedures
  • FDA Investigating Other Potential Carcinogen Risks
  • Personal Injuries and Winter Driving
  • The Dangers of Expedited Drug Approvals
  • Washington’s New Vaccination Law
  • The Legal Battles of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline
  • The Prevalence of Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs)

Categories

Copyright © 2023