First Focus Campaign for Children sent the following letter to Senator Mike Lee in opposition of S.J.Res. 7, which would overturn the Minor Consent for Vaccinations Amendment Act of 2020 (D.C. Act 23–532).
Excerpt from the letter:
The law, which was passed by the D.C. Council by a 12-1 vote, recognizes that there are rare instances where children have a fundamental right to seek out and receive medical treatment to affirmatively protect their own personal health.
In the case of vaccinations that prevent the spread of communicable diseases, D.C.’s law would allow an adolescent to, in consultation with a physician, protect receive an immunization in those rare instances that a parent or caregiver refuses or fails to provide for such care and treatment. Beyond their own health, the law effectively allows young people to help stop the spread of preventable diseases to others in their community. Young people, just like every other person in this country, should have the right to seek out and protect themselves, their friends, their families, their teachers, and their communities from potentially fatal diseases that can be prevented by immunizations.