Safe Schools, Healthy Students Act

Overcoming the COVID-19 public health crisis means taking meaningful steps to protect our students and schools from vaccine preventable diseases. The devastation wracked by the virus reminds us what happens when a vaccine is not available to prevent its spread.

Thankfully, many of the world’s most serious diseases are vaccine-preventable. Now is the time to ensure good record keeping of immunizatio n status is extended for students through high school so that in the event of an o utbreak, the response can be tailored, appropriate and accurate. It’s time for the Safe Schools – Healthy

Students Act.

What Does the Safe Schools – Healthy Students Act do? Today, state law requires students provide proof of vaccinations before entering kindergarten, 7th grade, or before entering a school for the first time.

Senate Bills 979-981 require parents or students provide a certificate of immunization in 12th grade, too.

The bills direct MDHHS to reference the immunizations recommended by the CDC Advisory

Committee on Immunization Practices when revising the state's immunization certificate. What Doesn't the Safe Schools – Healthy Students Act do?

Senate Bills 979-981 do not remove or change the right of parents to exempt their children from any immunization due to religious or philosophical reasons.

Now – more than ever – it’s time to protect students.

Immunizations offer protection from preventable diseases and outbreaks. They’re safe, proven and effective. Unfortunately, even before the COVID-19 public health crisis, Michigan experienced a resurgence in vaccinep reventable diseases in part due to factors such as under immunized persons and global travel.

As parents, educators and policymakers carefully consider reforms needed to safely reopen schools, colleges, and universities, voters overwhelmingly support strengthening the state’s laws requiring childhood vaccinations. While this legislation does not require additional vaccines, it is an im portant step forward in strengthening public h ealth policies and will help to keep our schools safe.

Over the past five years, Michigan has seen the following preventable and life-threatening infections: 1

32 meningitis cases 2834 cases of whooping cough 214 cases of mumps, and 69 cases of the measles

According to a recent poll by EPIC-MRA: 2

71% of voters think Michigan’s laws should be stronger and require more vaccinations, and 65% of voters support a requirement that students be fully immunized before attending state colleges and universities.

[1] https://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdhhs/WSR_52-2019_675582_7.pdf [2] The statewide poll was conducted by EPIC-MRA and commissioned by the Michigan Council for Maternal and Child Health on behalf of the Parent Information Network. 600 sample. +/-4.0% MOE. Polling dates: January 9-January 12, 2020. Conducted by live interviewers – included 30% cell phones.