Letter: HB 679 will harm the health of NH children

HB 679 will harm the health of Granite State childrenTo the Editor: As a professional epidemiologist with a Masters in Public Health, board president of an early childhood education center in the Upper Valley, and most importantly, mother to a 3-year-old little girl, I am deeply concerned about New Hampshire legislation that would amend childhood immunization requirements.House Bill 679 would prevent the state from including any vaccine not “shown in clinical trials to prevent transmission” of disease. It would roll back all current vaccine requirements, as none of those required have been shown to prevent transmission completely. However, all have been shown in clinical trials to be highly effective at reducing the severity of symptoms and preventing death.Viruses and bacteria are ever changing, making it incredibly difficult to correctly identify and kill them. Therefore, we use vaccines to teach our own bodies how to fight disease agents. Young kids get sick often, and although we can’t always stop illnesses from spreading, vaccines help keep them from experiencing severe illness. I want my child and her friends to be safe at school as they play and learn. I also want school staff, who provide an incredible public service, to be protected.The lack of vaccination requirements will also make my daughter’s school, along with numerous others across the state, no longer eligible for federal funding. Already on a tight budget, we need all the financial help we can get to keep operating. To protect our children, their education, and our communities, I urge legislators and Governor Kelly Ayotte to oppose HB 679.MAGGIE GRAULWest Lebanon