The bill would add vaccines to the eight mandatory vaccinations children must have to enroll in schools in the state. Only the flu vaccine would not be made mandatory for children attending Virginia schools.
The bill, which was passed Feb. 10, would not affect the religious and medical exemptions to vaccinations allowed in the state.
Delegate Patrick Hope, the bill’s sponsor and a Democrat, said that “vaccines are tested to ensure that they are safe and effective for children,” according to the report. He also said the bill would help limit the number of new CDC-recommended vaccines the state’s General Assembly would need to approve individually.
Several people who opposed the bill, including parents and some healthcare professionals, are protesting in front of the General Assembly, saying that vaccines can cause injury and the decisions on how to keep children safe should be kept out of lawmakers’ hands.
The bill progressed to state Senate committees, and has been passed by the Committee on Education and Health and the Senate Finance and Appropriations committee.
The Democratic Party holds a majority in the Senate and the state’s governor is also a Democrat.
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