On vaccines: REGARDLESS of where you stand on the vaccine debate (and this post is NOT meant to discuss the debate- just to inform), this should scare you.

These bills are more restrictive than California and New York. They take away your choice as parents and mandate calls to DCFS.

This bill is just one. The other is to mandate the HPV vaccine for all incoming 6th graders.

If they remove our medical freedom, what is next? This was shared by our pediatrician who broke down the interpretation of each section.

“A few friends and I met with Senator Dan McConchie today. We had a nice conversation about our concerns with vaccine mandates. He seemed like he was understanding of our issues. I thought the meeting went well. However, now we have 2 bills to fight. Now we have Bill HB4870, which would require our sons and daughters to get the HPV vaccine for 6th grade,AND we have bill SB3668. Let me interpret what it means if it passes. Disclaimer: 1. Next Gen Peds is pro-parental choice. We are neither provaccine or antivaccine. 2. I am not an attorney or a politician; this is my own interpretation.

SB3668
1. Amends school code: Removes language exempting children from medical examinations and immunizations on religious grounds. What my interpretation is: Your child will be required to have a school physical at Kindergarten, 6th, and 9th grades. You will no longer be able to object to immunizations based on your religious beliefs. You will have to give your child all the required vaccines for school.

2. Amends the College Student Immunization Act: Removes language exempting proof of immunizations if specified persons object to immunizations on religious grounds. What my interpretation is: Colleges won’t accept religious exemptions either.

3. Amends the Consent by Minors to Health Care Services Act. Provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, a minor who is 14 years of age or older shall have the right to have administered to the minor an adequate dose or doses of an immunizing agent, vaccine, or booster shot for communicable diseases, regardless of whether the minor’s parent or guardian consents to the administration of the immunizing agent , vaccine, or booster shot. What my interpretation is: Your 14 year old child can walk into my office, or an immediate care, or perhaps the school nurse and request any vaccine. Even if you don’t want them to get it. You now have no say in it.

4. Amends the Communicable Disease Prevention Act: Removes language providing that the Act does not apply if a parent or guardian of a child objects to immunization of his or her child for conflicting with his or her religious tenants or practices. What my interpretation is: If an outbreak of any vaccine preventable disease occurs, your child would have to get the vaccine. You can’t object based on your religious beliefs. This act states your child is a “health hazard”. What is an outbreak? 1000 cases? 5 cases?

5. Amends the Immunization Data Registry Act: Provides that specified persons shall (currently may) provide immunization data or provider reports for patients less that 14 (currently 18). What my interpretation is: Doctors can report to the State all vaccines. This is required for public aid / medicaid patients, but not for private insurance patients. Right now, we do not report any immunizations to the State (we don’t have vaccines for State patients, so we don’t have to report anything), however, this amendment will change that and the government will know your vaccine schedule.

6. Amends the Adoption Act: Removes language providing that a child shall not be considered neglected or abused for the sole reason that specified persons failed to vaccinate, delayed vaccination, or refuse vaccination for the child due to a waiver on religious grounds. What my interpretation is: DCFS will be called and your children will be taken away, and you will have charges of child neglect and abuse brought up against you if you do not follow the full CDC vaccine schedule. Currently, DCFS doesn’t take children / bring up charges soley if they aren’t up to date with vaccines. Your newborn will get Hepatitis B vaccine, even if you don’t have Hep B. Don’t even think about starting vaccines at 6 months of age or 2 years. That would be considered neglect and abuse. Want to come in for one vaccine a month? Not a choice anymore.

7. Repeals the Mercury Free Vaccination Act. What my interpretation is: This Act is supposed to make sure vaccines don’t have nay mercury in them. However, if you read this Act, you will see that it exempts Td and certain doses of Influenza. (I thought certain doses of polio contained it, but I may be wrong on that one). If this Act is repealed, vaccine makers can add thimerisol mercury back in.

Please do the following:
1. DO NOT put an angry face, FB will not make this post visible to as many people
2. CALL / Snail mail / email your state representatives and senators. Be kind on the phone. Yes, it is tough because this is such an emotionally charged issue. Remind them you are a voter. We cannot be quiet on this issue to take away our parental rights.
3. Do not assume someone will call on your behalf. You need to do it. Fill out witness slips (one for your, one for your spouse, one for your kids..).
4, Send Senator Heather A. Stearns your thoughts.
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=3668&GAID=15&DocTypeID=SB&LegId=125621&SessionID=108&GA=101&fbclid=IwAR2THR4kboLNKlc3WFhLTEayOcbqbEQx2_5L_B3DM2w1gHdXwtzChzP-q7U