A Message from the Providers of Mid Coast Pediatrics: Katelyn Bolduc, FNP, David Enright, MD, Deborah Hagler, MD, Amina Hanna, MD, Andrea Loeffler, MD, Holly Logan, FNP, Lawrence Losey, MD, Stephanie Phelps, MD, Jessica Rubashkin, CPNP, Elise Wiley, FNP
As Mid Coast Hospital providers, we’d like to confirm our position on the childhood vaccination ballot question and shed light on the law in question.
In the fall of 2019, a law called LD798 was passed by the Maine legislature, which will remove philosophical and religious exemptions to school-required vaccines. Under this law, which will take effect in September 2021, medical exemptions are still permitted. Those seeking a medical exemption must provide a written statement from a licensed physician or nurse practitioner stating that a required vaccine is medically inadvisable.
On March 3, Maine voters will be asked whether they want to overturn Maine’s LD798. A "Yes” vote is a vote to overturn LD798 and once again allow non-medical exemptions to school-required vaccines. A "No” vote is a vote to uphold the new law and only allow medical exemptions for school required vaccines.
Mid Coast Hospital, along with Maine Hospital Association, Maine Medical Association, American Nurses Association-Maine, and all other Maine health systems including Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital, are in support of Maine’s new law that requires children be vaccinated in order to attend school, with an exemption for medical circumstances. In other words, we support a "no” vote on Question 1.
For over 200 years, scientific evidence has repeatedly proven that vaccines are not only safe, but also save lives and improve the health of individuals and communities.
Maine’s vaccine opt-out rate is one of the highest in the nation, which makes our state’s population vulnerable to serious outbreaks of infectious disease. Low vaccination rates have already led to dangerous outbreaks of whooping cough and chicken pox in Maine daycares and schools.
In addition to children, higher numbers of vaccine opt-outs put other vulnerable people, such as individuals who are immunosuppressed due to transplants or chemotherapy, at risk for contracting deadly diseases.
We feel a "no” vote will help protect our most vulnerable children and community members from vaccine-preventable diseases.