We have Paul Offit's support for Kaliahs law!!!!!
Paul A. Offit, MD is the Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases and the Director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. In addition, Dr. Offit is the Maurice R. Hilleman Professor of Vaccinology and a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.
Here is our dialog~
June 17
Kennetha Scott
Paul, I know you are a busy man. I just have one question. I don't understand why people don't think it is a bigger deal that the CDC or DOH do not have to tell citizens in the event of an epidemic in their area. It seems like a no brainer and that something like is should already be in place. They can't even agree what an epidemic is here, which to me is especially frightening.
We are meeting with Paul Shin our Washington Representative tomorrow morning to try to get him to create legislation to require the Department of Health in our state to send out a warning notice directly to citizens in the event of an epidemic in their area, as in the case of the Washington Pertussis epidemic this year. We had to force them to say epidemic after 4 months of a clear epidemic.
We had originally asked for it at a federal level but Rick Larsen our Congressman told us it would be unconstitutional to create legislation to involve the CDC to set up a standard for all states to follow in the event of an epidemic. It seems a very haphazard way to react to epidemics, in fact it seems like just that, a reaction to each and every epidemic in a different way in every state, depending on who was Secretary of Health at the time.
Am I really that far off here? Shouldn't we be a bit concerned that there isn't a master plan for something like this? Kennetha (Kat) Scott
Paul Offit
10 hours ago
I agree with you completely.
Kennetha Scott
5 hours ago
Thank you, that means a lot to me. We met with the legislators and Rep. Paull Shin was very supportive and said "We need a law" only moments into the discussion. He is going to Rep Karen Kaiser who is the head of the Health committee for our state and try to pass it into law in their next session in January. Rep Mary Helen Roberts agrees with the need, but is less optimistic of it's acceptance in the House. She is concerned about the anti vaxers and their pull. I explained this isn't about telling people they need a shot, it is about telling them there is an epidemic in their neighborhood. I can't think of anyone that wouldn't want to know that.
I am hoping if we pass this here in Washington, other states will take similar actions until it is national.
Do you mind if I share your agreement publicly? Your support would mean a lot to us. Thanks, Kat
4 minutes ago
Paul Offit
Not a problem
We met with Paull Shin and Mary Helen Roberts, representatives from our area to see if they would help us get a law in place to make the DOH send out a Public Warning Notice to all households in the epidemic area. There is nothing in place that says they have to tell anyone there is an epidemic, and they have shown that they do not think it is necessary. We think it is.
So do Paull Shin and Mary Helen Roberts. They are researching and trying to gain support so they can bring it to the session in January 2013!
We will keep you posted on the progress and let you know when and how you can help make.