California vaccine rates increase after Legislature toughens rules for children

[TexasTowelie]

School vaccination rates are the highest in California in more than 15 years after the Legislature toughened requirements.

A new report by the California Department of Public Health found that 95.6 percent of kindergartners in the current school year completed vaccination requirements.

“I am pleased that this first year of the implementation of SB 277 has resulted in the significant rise of the vaccination rate of this year’s kindergarten class,” said Dr. Richard Pan, D-Sacramento, who authored the bill. “This success is a first step toward reducing the number of unimmunized people putting our families at risk for preventable diseases, thereby restoring community immunity throughout our state in the coming years.”

Senate Bill 277, signed in 2015, required children without medical exemptions to receive all their shots before enrolling in school and eliminated a provision that allowed parents to seek personal and religious belief exemptions.

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article144271694.html

[Warpy]

1. Funny how that works, even the "crunchies" protect their kids if the

penalties are steep enough. NM has real teeth in public health laws so the vaccination rate is something like 97% state wide, amazing since there are so many different cultures and New Agers here.

Public safety finally overcomes private ignorance. At last.