As Maine school children last week lined up to receive voluntary doses of H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccinations, legislative leaders rejected a bill seeking to clarify Maine’s vaccination law.
Representative Douglas Thomas (R-Ripley) submitted “An Act to Prohibit Mandatory Vaccinations” to the 10-member Legislative Council, comprised of six Democrats and four Republicans.
The council voted along party lines to reject Thomas’ bill proposal Nov. 5, arguing Maine statutes governing control of notifiable diseases (MRSA Title 22, Chap. 250) is clear on the voluntary nature of immunizations and vaccinations.
Outside the halls of leadership, legislators remain divided on the merits of Maine statutes governing control of notifiable diseases and point to the underlying fear of contracting H1N1, as well as concern over vaccinations in general, as the source for increased public unease.
Rep. Les Fossel (R-Alna) believes Thomas’ proposed bill attempted to find a solution to a problem that does not exist; he believes Maine law is clear in stating vaccinations are not mandatory.
All the same, Fossel believes the public health blitz over for H1N1, including vaccination clinics offered by public health agencies and schools, is causing a certain amount of hype and leading to the spread of misinformation and fear.
“When people are afraid and talking about pandemics it is hard to get around irrational decisions,” Rep. Fossel said of Thomas’ proposal. “We have to do a better job carefully defining the problem and solution to take the sting out of the fear and we have to make a reasonable attempt to explain it.”
Given the general public has received health forms and vaccination requests from school leaders and other sources, Fossel is not surprised by the level of concern and subsequent misinformation.
“We’ve created fear here and a little better public education and not as much fear from the schools is what is needed,” he said. “It’s easy to motivate people with fear but when you do, it is an unguided missile and it tends to create problems that you don’t anticipate.”
The Alna representative has been contacted by constituents concerned about the safety of the vaccination and has been able to assuage those concerns with information from the Maine Centers for Disease Control.
“I hear more from people who are upset they can’t get the vaccination,” he said.
Rep. Charles Priest (D., Brunswick) said it’s common for legislators to hear from people who do not want their children vaccinated. Reluctance is not limited to the H1N1 vaccine, he said.
The Brunswick representative has not experienced opposition to the H1N1 vaccination.
“There has not been a huge outcry, but it is not mandatory, so why would it be,” Rep. Priest said. “The complaints I hear is ‘I’d like to get it and can’t.'”
Rep. W. Bruce MacDonald (D-Boothbay), has not been contacted by any constituent on the issue and believes Rep. Thomas’ bill was a response to the fears expressed by some regarding the safety of the current H1N1 vaccines.
“I do not share those fears,” Rep. MacDonald said. “My understanding is that the H1N1 vaccine has been formulated in the same careful way that the regular flu vaccines have been made. Furthermore, there has never been any serious discussion about making these shots mandatory.”
Rep. MacDonald said Maine, like other states, does require school children to be vaccinated before attending public school, as an accepted and settled matter of public health. “However, even in this case, any family can opt out of this “mandatory” procedure on religious, philosophical or medical grounds.
“Bottom line for me: There is no reason at this time to bring forward a bill like this, since the alleged problem it would address does not exist,” he said.
Senator David Trahan (R-Waldoboro), however, would like to see the full legislature to consider Maine’s public health laws as they pertain to vaccinations.
“I do not support mandatory vaccinations and believe Rep. Thomas’s bill would have been timely in clarifying the law and educating the public on this issue,” he said.
The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention has attempted to abate public confusion by staffing a hotline (1-888-257-0990) and also an online calendar listing public- and school-administered seasonal flu and H1N1 vaccination clinics.
As of Nov. 5, The Maine CDCP estimated there is one vaccine available for every five Mainers in the high-priority risk groups, which include people with chronic illnesses, pregnant women, those over the age of 65, school children (K-college), and children under the age of two.
MeCDCP Director Dr. Dora Ann Mills provides weekly updates of vaccination availability and other concerns on the website www.maine.gov/dhhs/boh/maineflu.
A list of ways to avoid spread of the seasonal flu and H1N1 is also available online and includes improved respiratory hygiene of covering coughs and sneezes, frequently washing hands and staying home when sick or with a fever.
As of Nov. 5, Maine had 138,000 doses to cover 10 percent of the population.
