Attention Arkansas: Oppose adding hepatitis A, TdaP and Meningococcal Vaccine requirements for school children Dear Arkansas NVIC Advocacy Team Members, The Arkansas Dept. of Health has proposed adding new vaccine requirements for school children in Arkansas. The proposed new rules would add the following new vaccines: Tdap vaccine for students age 11 years as of September 1 each year and older; Hepatitis A vaccine for kindergarten and 1st grade, 1 dose on or after 1st birthday; and Meningococcal (MCV4) vaccine for students who turn 16 on or before September 1. If they received a dose of MCV4 vaccine at Grade 7, they will still need a dose at age 16. The proposal also changes the medical exemption for college students so that only the Dept. of Health can grant them. The current rule allows colleges to accept a medical exemption on a certificate approved by the department and signed by a medical doctor. (See Page 7, Section IV. Exemptions, General Requirements. A. 1. and Page 8, B. Medical Exemptions, 2) The proposed new rule also adds that statement that if the Dept. of Health determines that if a possibility of disease transmission exists, an exempt child or individual shall not return to the facility for 21 days or longer. The current rule does not specify the amount of days for exclusion. (See Page 9, Exclusion From Facilities, B) NVIC is opposed to these rules because these vaccines are already available to anyone who wants them and the vaccine exemption process in Arkansas is burdensome and discriminatory. Because the current exemption requirements place an extra burden of education on those who want to utilize an exemption as opposed to those who vaccinate with no required education, new mandates significantly negatively impact those utilizing an exemption. New mandates raise insurance costs for everyone. Medical doctors should be able to write the medical exemption without the approval of the Department of Health. ACTION NEEDED: 1) Plan on attending the public hearing to be held Tuesday, May 13, 2014, at 1:00 p.m. in Room L137 (the Engineering Conference Room) of the Department of Health building at 4815 West Markham, Little Rock, Arkansas. 2) Submit written comments no later than 8:00 a.m. on May 13, 2014. Comments may be sent by email to [email protected] or by mail to: Hilda Douglas, Assistant Section Chief, Immunization Section, Arkansas Department of Health, 4815 West Markham, Slot 48, Little Rock, AR 72205. RESOURCES: Current Rules: healthy.arkansas.gov/aboutADH/RulesRegs/immunization_requirements.pdf Proposed New Rules: healthy.arkansas.gov/aboutADH/Pages/RulesRegulationsProposed.aspx#amendments Additional Information from the State on the Proposed Rules: healthy.arkansas.gov/aboutADH/Pages/RulesRegulationsProposed.aspx#amendments More Information on Diseases and Vaccines Included in this Proposal: nvic.org/Vaccines-and-Diseases.aspx Arkansas Vaccine Exemption and Requirements Information: nvic.org/Vaccine-Laws/state-vaccine-requirements/arkansas.aspx Sincerely, Dawn Richardson, Director of Advocacy National Vaccine Information Center NVIC.org and NVICAdvocacy.org
Posted on: Mon, 12 May 2014 17:52:23 +0000
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