Following an outbreak of the measles virus in Illinois, state Reps. Mike Zalewski (D-Riverside) and Mike McAuliffe (R-Chicago) have introduced a resolution to encourage parents to vaccinate their children against contagious diseases.
House Joint Resolution 26 aims to increase the number of children who receive such vaccinations by calling on the Illinois Department of Public Health to formulate new administrative rules related to health examinations and immunizations for students. The resolution directs the department to expedite the rulemaking process so that the new rules will be in place by the start of the next school year. Additionally, the resolution notes the measles vaccination has been shown to be safe and effective.
Zalewski and McAuliffe – who serve as chairman and minority spokesman of the House Health Care Licenses Committee, respectively – intend to hold a hearing on the matter later this month.
“We need to band together to make sure everyone knows the benefits of immunizations, because we can see the consequences already when children are not vaccinated for measles,” Zalewski said in a press release.
McAuliffe added, “There has been a recent spark in the ethical debate over the benefits of childhood vaccinations. The outbreak of measles in the United States and here in Illinois is a severe reminder that without these vaccinations, our children are at risk in contracting these viruses. Modern medicine has protected our population from once deadly diseases and it is vital that we remind parents of the importance of vaccinating your child so that they can live a long, healthy and productive life.”
-Tom Butala