California, which previously had notable levels of unvaccinated schoolchildren, has recently seen an overall decrease after the state outlawed non-medical exemptions.
Under the new laws, the state will issue a standardized medical exemption certification form for doctors to complete and send to a child’s school. The form would outline the details of the exemption and include information about the medical basis for the exemption. In addition to reviewing doctors who grant five or more exemptions in a year, the state would also investigate schools “with an overall immunization rate of less than 95 percent.” Additionally, the legislation gives California the authority to revoke a medical exemption deemed “inappropriate” by a state physician or public health officer.
Pan praised the signing of the bills on Monday, saying in a statement that Newsom was “once again making California a leader in safeguarding children and communities from diseases that threaten our public health.”
The signing of the bills, which will take effect January 1, 2020, came as anti-vaccination activists protested the legislation on Monday in Sacramento, arguing the new laws are an overreach by the state on medical problems that cannot be completely prevented by vaccinations.
Source : CNN