Weinberg-Vitale Statement on Vaccine Legislation

Trenton – Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg and Senator Joe Vitale, the sponsors of legislation (S-2173) to ensure more universal use of vaccines, issued the following joint statement after their decision to hold the bill at today’s Senate session:

“This bill is vital for the health and safety of the residents of New Jersey, especially our children and we look forward to bringing the bill up for a vote in the near future.

“This legislation is nothing less than an important public safety measure and nothing more than a reasonable and effective way to protect against the spread of infectious diseases. These are vaccines that have been proven to be safe for the children who receive them and effective in protecting the health of others.

“We understand the passion and concern people have around this legislation, and we do not take our advocacy for it lightly. But we shouldn’t let emotion overcome responsible actions we can and should take to protect against infectious and possibly deadly diseases.

“We have a responsibility to protect the public’s health, especially children who could be exposed to infections. This is about keeping our future generations safe and healthy. Our personal health choices are not made in a vacuum. The decision to refuse vaccinations can have a real and immediate impact on the safety of others.

“This bill is also for those who medically cannot get vaccinated and may be too fragile to fight off serious disease. When healthy people are vaccinated, they protect and insulate the people who physically can’t be.

“We won’t give up on our efforts to do what we can to see that vaccines are used as broadly as needed and that the exposure and spread of infectious diseases is prevented.”