Massachusetts student flu shot mandate draws hundreds of protesters to Boston
All Massachusetts students, from child care to college, are required to get the flu vaccine before Dec. 31.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Hundreds of people gathered in Boston on Sunday to protest a new flu shot mandate for all Massachusetts students.
Protesters chanted and hoisted signs that read “My Body, My Choice” and “Nurses Against Mandatory Vaccines” outside the State House in Boston on Sunday. They argued a flu shot mandate was a form of “government overreach.”
“They are forcing us to inject something into our child that we don’t agree with,” Mike Megna, a parent protesting, told Boston’s WBZ-TV. "This is about taking away the fears of COVID. I just think we should be able to choose what goes in my son's body. We can say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ and the government shouldn't say it for us."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}FLORIDA'S ORDER TO REOPEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS HALTED BY A JUDGE
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health said earlier this month that “influenza immunization will be required for all children 6 months of age or older who are attending Massachusetts child care, pre-school, kindergarten, K-12, and colleges and universities.”
Maria Harvey and her sister Ashley Makridakis hold up signs during a protest against mandatory flu vaccinations, outside the Massachusetts State House, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2020, in Boston. Public health authorities say flu shots are very important this year to avoid overburdening the health system. amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Nancy Lane/Boston Herald via AP)
“The new vaccine requirement is an important step to reduce flu-related illness and the overall impact of respiratory illness during the COVID-19 pandemic,” the statement said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Though Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican, said the flu shot mandate will help ensure the state’s hospitals and health care resources don’t become overwhelmed during the pandemic, Sunday’s demonstration came amid fears officials would force the public to get vaccinated against COVID-19 when a new vaccine for the novel disease eventually comes to market.
A Gallup poll published Aug. 7 found that about 35% of Americans -- about one in three people -- would not get a free, FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine if it was ready today.
Teresa Hays, of Clinton, holds a sign during a protest against mandatory flu vaccinations, outside the Massachusetts State House, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2020, in Boston. Public health authorities say flu shots are very important this year to avoid overburdening the health system. amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Nancy Lane/Boston Herald via AP)
The flu shot mandate applies to some virtual learners in Massachusetts, and only K-12 students who are home-schooled and higher education students who are completely off-campus and engaged solely in remote learning may skip the vaccine. Some medical and religious exemptions may also apply.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“Every year, thousands of people of all ages are affected by influenza, leading to many hospitalizations and deaths,” said Dr. Larry Madoff, medical director of DPH’s Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences. “It is more important now than ever to get a flu vaccine because flu symptoms are very similar to those of COVID-19 and preventing the flu will save lives and preserve health care resources.”
Massachusetts students will be expected to have received a flu vaccine by Dec. 31, 2020, for the 2020-2021 influenza season. Students in kindergarten through 12th grade are already required to be immunized with DTaP/Tdap, polio, MMR, Hepatitis B and Varicella vaccines.
Maria Harvey and her sister Ashley Makridakis hold up signs during a protest against mandatory flu vaccinations, outside the Massachusetts State House, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2020, in Boston. Public health authorities say flu shots are very important this year to avoid overburdening the health system. amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Nancy Lane/Boston Herald via AP)
In regards to a new vaccine against COVID-19, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has said he would be “pretty surprised” if vaccination became mandatory for any part of the population.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Other experts have raised the possibility of a vaccine being mandatory as part of an “if/then” proposition – in other words, someone can only do something if they are first vaccinated. For example, proof of vaccination could be required to engage in certain jobs, such as prison staff or line workers in meat processing plants. Some businesses, such as nursing homes and hospitals, might require vaccination for those who work with certain high-risk populations.
Sal Lando, left, of Sterling, holds up signs during a protest against mandatory flu vaccinations, outside the Massachusetts State House, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2020, in Boston. Public health authorities say flu shots are very important this year to avoid overburdening the health system. amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Nancy Lane/Boston Herald via AP)
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It also could be required to gain access to certain spaces, such as schools or sporting events, or to qualify for certain benefits, like the freedom to travel to other states without having to quarantine. These types of rules already exist, for example, in many universities, which require students living in dorms to be vaccinated against meningitis.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Associated Press contributed to this report.