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California vaccine rates hit high after mandatory vaccination law

April 13, 2017

In the first year of California’s mandatory vaccination regime, vaccination rates among kindergartners reached their highest level since 2001, according to a report released by the California Department of Public Health.

From the 2015-2016 school year to the 2016-2017 school year, vaccination rates among kindergartners increased from 93 percent to 96 percent. State health officials cite a variety of factors contributing to the increase, including Senate Bill 277, California’s controversial vaccination law.

SB 277 eliminated a provision that allowed parents to cite personal or religious beliefs as valid reasons to avoid vaccinating their schoolchildren. As of last July, all children attending public and private schools in California must be vaccinated, unless they obtain medical exemptions.

The bill sparked outrage among vaccine critics, but an effort to repeal the law failed.

State Sen. Richard Pan (D-Sacramento), the author of SB 277 and a pediatrician by trade, said in a statement released Wednesday that he is pleased with the vaccination results.

“I am pleased that this first year of implementation of SB 277 has resulted in the significant rise of the vaccination rate of this year’s kindergarten class,” Pan said. “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.”

State Public Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith likewise issued a statement expressing satisfaction with the increase in kindergarten vaccination rates.

“I am encouraged to see that California parents are making sure their children get the vaccinations they need,” Smith said. “Many vaccine-preventable diseases, such as measles, can easily spread in school settings. Getting all recommended immunizations on time is one of the most important things parents can do to keep our children healthy and in school.”

In addition to the mandatory vaccination legislation, state health officials cite their own efforts to promote vaccines, as well as increased public awareness of the importance of vaccination due to highly visible outbreaks, as reasons for the jump in inoculation rates.

Despite high statewide vaccination rates, health officials say schools and communities with low vaccination rates remain at risk for outbreaks.


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I have a feeling a lot of the “personal beliefs” was more just pure laziness. One less thing to do.


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I just googled Dr. Pan, author of SB 277, the vaccine bill. It was reported by the Sacramento Bee newspaper, that Pan received $95,150 from pharmaceutical firms; the only other elected official receiving more than $90,000 was Assembly Speaker Toni Adkins ($90,205); the speaker decides what legislation will be taken up by the chamber.


The SacBee reported, Big Pharma and its industry surrogates gave legislators in the 2013-2014 session more than $2 million:


Nine of the top 20 recipients were either legislative leaders or served on either the Assembly or Senate health committees.


Truth set me free is right! Follow the money!


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I don’t really care if you vaccinate your kids or not. If your child dies from something that could have been prevented by a vaccine, please don’t ask me to support your go fund me page though.


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You won’t be forced to support the go fund me page! It isn’t mandatory to do so by government!


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The drug companies donated millions in campaign dollars to California lawmakers before the vaccination debate on SB 277. FOLLOW THE MONEY!


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I am opposed to government forced medication, and in this case, government mandatory vaccinations


To attend school, students must be vaccinated. Where does it stop? To get your Social Security check, you will have to be vaccinated for possibly different illnesses? Just watch the tv ads by pharmaceutical companies promoting their vaccinations for adults.


Watch the documentary, VAXXED: From Cover-Up to Castastrophe.


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Maybe read up on the documentary you’re pushing, from a discredited doctor, with a revoked medical license, pushing edited phone conversations as the backbone of his documentary.


I have two children, they have both been vaccinated. My son had autism before any vaccines were administered, and my daughter has had her vaccines and shows no sign of being on the Autism Spectrum.


Autism is suspected to be more of a genetic disorder, passed down from parents to children to varying severity. There have also been studies showing a link to environmental factors, such as children who are ignored and withdraw into their own world from infancy.


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Easy to discredit people these days, but it also took place back in the 1850s! Ignaz Semmelweis saved lives by encouraging doctors with three words…wash your hands. He was ridiculed and discredited also.


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