West Virginia governor vetoes bill that would change vaccine requirements in schools

West Virginia’s governor vetoed a bill that would have eliminated vaccine requirements in public virtual schools and allowed private and parochial schools to set their own standards. Some social media users are criticizing the governor for disregarding those affected by alleged vaccine injuries and claiming that the government should not make medical decisions for children.

Recommendation: Vaccine opponents cite alleged vaccine injuries in attempts to discourage vaccination. Posts criticizing the governor’s decision may discourage patients in West Virginia from getting the recommended vaccines for their children and may cause patients to distrust vaccine guidance from government and public health officials. Talking points may emphasize that recommended vaccines are safe for children and protect them from serious, preventable illnesses. School vaccine requirements are intended to protect the health of individual children and their communities. Research shows that non-medical vaccine exemptions are linked to lower vaccine coverage and vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks. Learn more about recommended vaccines for children from the CDC.