By Theresa Bohannan

Vaccines are one of the greatest public health success stories, not just in the United States but around the globe. Why? It is quite simple: vaccines work! Here in the U.S., we have seen a dramatic drop in childhood mortality as a result of vaccines that prevent childhood diseases. In fact, many younger generations have no concept of a world when vaccines were not routinely provided as part of well-child checkups at the doctor’s office.

Unfortunately, as successful as vaccines have been in modern times, there have been some setbacks. Recently there has been an increase in measles outbreaks in Washington state and other areas mostly caused by so-called “anti-vaxxers” who refuse to provide their children with the recommended vaccines.

Anti-vaxxers have become a strong voice in opposition to vaccines mostly because of information they find on the Internet and (debunked) research by Andrew Wakefield, who claimed that there is a correlation between MMR (for measles) vaccines and autism. Wakefield’s “work” was later retracted, but the damage has been done. Anti-vaxxers are not learning about vaccines from trained medical professionals — but from social media and the internet. The internet is wonderful, but it also can be very dangerous because it allows fringe groups to spread false or misleading information far and wide.

In the medical field and the public health community, there is a reliance on peer-reviewed studies, rigorous clinical trials, surveys, and data to inform decisions about what to communicate and recommend to patients and the public. The internet and social media do not rely on these scientific methods and as a result, innocent children have suffered from vaccine-preventable diseases.

Nevada has an opportunity to prevent what has happened in Washington by passing AB123. The common-sense measures in this bill would require schools to submit to the Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health (DPBH) a yearly list of the number of students — it will not include personal, identifiable information — who have received religious or medical exemptions to required vaccines. In the event of an outbreak — let’s all hope that doesn’t happen — schools would also need to report the exempted student’s information to health agencies (local, state, and federal) in order to determine how to best respond. Lastly, AB123 would require religious and medical exemptions to be submitted on a form that has been provided by the DPBH, and which would be filed annually.

Please note that contrary to the fearmongering at the bill´s first hearing, this bill does not force anyone to vaccinate a child. But it does require parents to accept the responsibilities that come from making an anti-vaxx choice.

Some children legitimately cannot receive vaccines because of certain health conditions, so it is even more important for children who can get vaccinated to do so. Community Immunity (“herd immunity”) protects us all. No parent, regardless of their views on vaccines, wants to see their child — or other children — suffer. Please extend that compassion by vaccinating your child.

As a public health advocate and parent of a child with a severe health condition, I fully support AB123. Nevada ranks low when it comes to many public health outcomes. Let’s get this one right.

Theresa Bohannan is a Nevada native. She has a Master's of Public Health degree from UNR, and previously worked as a maternal and child health epidemiologist at the Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health. She’s a member of Indivisible Northern Nevada, a progressive grassroots organization dedicated to influencing policy. She is also a mother.