Relaxing vaccine reporting for child care could cost state, officials warn

Apr. 23—CONCORD — Relaxing reporting requirements for polio and measles vaccines by child care agency operators could put the state at risk of losing a $27 million federal grant, state public health officials warned.

New Hampshire received a child care and development block grant that supports scholarships for eligible families.

Karen Hebert with the Department of Health and Human Services Division of Economic Stability told a state Senate committee last week that the grant has health and safety mandates attached to it that include that children who receive services are immunized.

Dr. Benjamin Chan, the state's epidemiologist, said reporting is the only way for the state to accurately monitor the rate of immunization for these legacy vaccines that have seen a resurgence of outbreaks elsewhere due to declining rates.

State Rep. Ross Berry, R-Manchester, a co-sponsor of a House-passed bill on the topic, said reporting requirements for the vaccines can be onerous and have led to higher insurance rates charged to some child care agencies.

"Child care should not be the reporting arms for HHS (Health and Human Services) unless it is necessary," Berry told the Senate Health Care Committee about the measure (HB 1213).

Berry said all the criticism about the bill was unfounded or overblown.

The legislation would eliminate reporting by private and public child care agencies.

Children must have proof of all required immunizations or documentation of immunity or have a valid exemption to be enrolled in any school in New Hampshire.

State law permits parents to obtain a waiver or exemption from immunization requirements for religious reasons.

The polio vaccine was first offered in 1955, and the so-named MMR shot treated the highly infectious measles, mumps and rubella viruses.

The CDC recommended that children get their first dose of MMR vaccine between 12 and 15 months, and a first dose of the polio vaccine when they are about 2 months old.

All states currently require children to have at least started vaccination against measles and polio before they may enroll in child care.

The bill would make New Hampshire the first state to relax that requirement.

Measles was eradicated in the U.S. two decades ago but has re-emerged after the virus was brought into the country by foreign visitors, Chan said.

In 2024, 120 cases of measles and seven outbreaks have been reported in the U.S.

Chan said he remains concerned about the potential for such an outbreak here.

"We are falling below 95% (measles immunization) within our child care, which puts us at risk for the same thing happening in New Hampshire as is happening is the rest of the country," Chan said.

Support for bill's effects

Laura Condon, director of advocacy for the National Vaccine Information Center, said the bill makes child care more affordable.

"This bill simply removes burdensome requirements," she said.

Rep. Berry said he doubted the bill would put that grant funding at risk.

"I tend to believe in our federal delegation enough that they wouldn't let them mess with our child care scholarship," Berry said.

Further, Berry said the state already has immunization reporting on young children provided by physician offices.

A parent doesn't know whether another child is vaccinated because child care agencies accept the religious waiver from another parent "at face value" and that status is not disclosed, Berry noted.

Other critics of the bill testified that doing away with the reporting paperwork could actually make it harder for child care programs to get insurance coverage.

The House voted last month, 189-173, to amend the bill.

Rep. Gary Merchant, D-Claremont, was the only Democrat to support it. House Republicans against the amendment were Reps. James Mason of Franklin, Dan Wolf of Newbury and Mark Pearson of Hampstead.

"This proposal is unquestionably dangerous and is the latest proof that Republicans' extremism is out of touch with Granite State communities," said Sam Paisley, national press secretary with the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee.

klandrigan@unionleader.com

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