NH doctors warn against bill that could gut childhood vaccine-buying program
New Hampshire Public Radio | By Paul Cuno-Booth
Doctors, nurses and other public health professionals are speaking out against a bill that would dismantle New Hampshire's universal childhood vaccine purchasing program, saying it would increase barriers to vaccination and put kids’ health at risk.
The bill – along with several others that would weaken childhood vaccination requirements – comes at a time of declining childhood vaccination rates, in New Hampshire and around the country.
In the current school year, only 89.2% of kindergarteners had documentation showing they were up to date on all required vaccines, according to data from the state health department. That’s down from 91.5% in 2019, and well below the 95% threshold experts say is needed to prevent outbreaks of highly infectious disease like measles.