California vaccine law opponents: passionate, persistent and science-averse

Brown in his written message at the signing said that science had been clear that vaccines could dramatically protect against unsafe and infectious diseases. Children who are not vaccinated in California will now have to be homeschooled and many doctors are refusing to accept patients who are not vaccinated due to the considerable risk of illness transmission to patients in their waiting rooms.

So far, however, only three states use strict measures to clamp down on vaccine deniers – California, West Virginia, and Mississippi. The measure applies to public and private schools, as well as day care facilities.

Carrey also recommends everyone watch the documentary Trace Amounts, about a child who suffers from mercury poisoning, after remarking, “They say mercury in fish is risky but forcing all of our children to be injected with mercury in thimerosol [sic] is no risk”. The report added that medical exemptions will, however, be given to children with medical conditions. Parents can obtain a personal-belief exemption for any other immunizations deemed appropriate by state public health officials in the future. The new law is more flexible than its opponents pretend, allowing unimmunized kids to stay in school until their next vaccine checkpoint, for example, and letting hard-core resisters home-school together.

“This is truly a case where science – and what is the best case for public health – prevailed”, state Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon, D-Los Angeles, said at a press conference Tuesday.

“As a mom, there’s nothing more important to me than making sure our kids are kept safe – especially when we have the means to protect them from preventable diseases”, Gonzalez said.

California lawmakers have taken the appropriate, science-based lesson from a measles outbreak previous year that originated at Disneyland.

A A physician has broad authority to grant medical exemptions to children, especially if they believe the child will be physically harmed by vaccines.

But mandatory vaccinations are unpopular with some parents who believe the state is usurping their parental rights. Some say the surge can be attributed to improved diagnostic techniques, lower vaccination rates, or possibly, a less effective vaccine that was introduced in 1991.

Asked if he thought California’s action would spark similar changes in other states, Pan said Brown’s swift action on the bill will send a “strong signal” across the country.

Legal fight? – Opponents also are considering going to court to overturn the bill.

Carrey took to Twitter just hours after the bill was signed to begin attacking Brown.

SB 277 makes California the 32nd state to eliminate the philosophical exemption for school children vaccinations.