Movement to strengthen NJ influenza vaccine obligations for school children

Credit: (AP Photo / Paul Vernon)

Concerns about COVID-19 and the potential for a fall “cold” of the flu have led a few Democrats to state that New Jersey students of all ages, from preschool to college, are vaccinated against the flu. Asked to oblige.

law — Not yet hearing — State law will significantly extend and codify current regulations that require influenza vaccines for children attending nurseries and nurseries. Influenza vaccination is not currently included in the mandatory vaccinations for elementary or high school.

Massachusetts was the first person to mandate a flu vaccine to attend school, Vermont is considering Similar measuresAccording to the Nonprofit Kaiser Family Foundation.

However, these proposals have raised concerns for some who are worried about what they see as over-reliance on vaccines. In particular, given all the coronavirus prevention measures implemented this year, opponents of the New Jersey mandate argue that influenza vaccination is not necessary.

“Everything we are doing now to prevent the spread of COVID-19 will also prevent the spread of other viruses,” said Sue Collins, co-founder of the New Jersey Union for Vaccination Choices. Said.

Credit: (AP Photo / Seth Wenig)

“If anything, it’s going to be a year when you don’t need the flu vaccine because you’re at home when you’re sick, washing your hands more, staying away from society, wearing a mask, etc.,” Collins added. ..

The coalition was among those who organized opposition last fall, and eventually the masses. Derailing another initiative to eliminate religious exemptions Vaccine requirements for state schools. As drafted, the law requiring influenza vaccines allows families to opt out for religious or medical reasons.

U.S. flu levels drop during lockdown

Influenza, COVID-19 and other viral infections, according to the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which tracks influenza levels fell In the United States, after the national blockade in March, relatively few cases have been reported from countries in the Southern Hemisphere that have just escaped the winter flu season. Of the samples collected from April to July in Australia, Chile and South Africa, 0.06% were positive for influenza, while the average for the period 2017-2019 was 13.7%.

“The global decline in influenza virus circulation is realistic and appears to be occurring at the same time as the COVID-19 pandemic and associated community mitigation measures. According to the CDC, influenza virus circulation continues to be monitored. It will be determined whether low activity levels will persist even after community mitigation measures have been mitigated.

“But it is important to plan for this fall and winter seasonal influenza epidemic, given the novelty of the COVID-19 pandemic and the uncertainty of ongoing community mitigation measures. All over 6 months. Influenza vaccination for people in Japan remains the best way to prevent influenza and is especially important this season when SARS-CoV-2 and the influenza virus can co-circulate, “the authorities said.

The takeaway resonates with one of the bill’s sponsors, the Assemblyman Herb Conaway Jr. (D-Burlington), a doctor who chairs the Health Commission and is the county’s health officer. He and others believe that the widespread use of “safe and effective” influenza vaccines is more important than ever, given the similarities between COVID-19 and influenza symptoms.

“If certain viruses are working through the community, it’s always a good idea to wash your hands and take certain basic precautions,” Conaway said. “It’s just a good habit.”

But flu shots are also important, Conaway said. “Vaccines work to strengthen the basic precautions that people can take on their own,” he said. Extensive vaccination means having an overwhelming hospital like COVID-19’s “difference in our social ability to manage the second surge” or part of New Jersey was in mid-April He added that he could.

Although the number of new coronavirus cases and their impact on health care resources have declined significantly in the last five months, New Jersey public health officials said the virus continued to spread and hotspots were active in Monmouth and Ocean County. Emphasizes that you are. In total, nearly 200,600 residents have been diagnosed with COVID-19, of which at least 14,300 have died.

Decrease in pediatric vaccines

People hesitated to go to the doctor because the pandemic was furious. State officials sounded an alarm in May About the planned reduction of pediatric vaccines. It is given during the first 6 years and helps protect against at least a dozen infections.

By March, the Department of Infectious Diseases of the State Department of Health had suspended public reporting of influenza cases as the coronavirus efforts were in full swing. However, according to a weekly report in late February, New Jersey at the time already had high levels of influenza throughout the state, with nearly 7,000 residents testing positive for influenza in mid-month. It was.

Influenza concerns regained in late August, and DOH Commissioner Judy Persichilli began warning that a particularly dangerous season would come, urging residents to be vaccinated early. On Tuesday, she herself received an injection at Walgreens in Pennington, DOH said, and one of many pharmacies is currently offering free vaccinations.

“We are also preparing for the possibility of a seasonal flu’cold’that overlaps with the second wave of coronavirus,” Persicily told lawmakers last week. “Therefore, it is important for as many residents as possible to get the flu vaccine as soon as possible to reduce flu illness and hospitalization and save scarce medical resources.”

Conaway and others have said that infection control measures have worked to curb the spread of COVID-19 in New Jersey, but we are now entering a new phase, with some students and restaurants, and limited. We are reopening the school for other companies that welcome a large number of patrons. “And we know that seasonal flu will eventually spread to us,” he said.

State delegation measures (A-4576) — With a companion version sponsored by Congress members Andrew Zwicker (D-Monmouth) and Mila Jasey (D-Essex) and Senate Joe Vitale (D-Middlesex) — Expanded use of the flu vaccine causes school officials to get the flu Address the potential cause of COVID-19 as a potential cause of certain symptoms claimed to help eradicate. The bill also states that it also requires students to reduce their chances of getting both viruses at once.

But Saralane, co-founder of the Pediatric Optometrist and Vaccine Selection Alliance, sees it as an “intense unnecessary mission.” In particular, 70% of elementary school students say they have already been vaccinated against the flu. “They feel they need to admit that community (containment) measures are raising awareness of how to stop the transmission of the virus. Medicines are not always the savior people want,” she said. Said.