The risk of a viral pandemic, as is occurring in Wuhan, China, points to the fundamental reason that immunizations against communicable diseases are essential to protect our children from preventable infectious illnesses. And yet, proponents of the outrageous effort to negate the mandatory school vaccination law passed by the Maine Legislature last year close their eyes to the public health risk Question 1 creates.

Measles, chickenpox and whooping cough (often fatal in infants) threaten to re-emerge if community immunity is allowed to wane with the possible passage of Question 1.

Question 1 advocates have promoted false advertising. Numerous political signs posted along Maine’s roads contain  gross misinformation and misrepresentation about Question 1, which will restore “philosophical” excuses not to vaccinate children. Creating general immunity protects vulnerable children who can’t be vaccinated for medical reasons (e.g., they are allergic to egg proteins, or their immune systems are incapable of fighting off infection).

The philosophical objectors behind Question 1 have wrongly tied the referendum question to “Big Pharma.” Question 1 has nothing to do with Big Pharma and the road signs are grossly misleading.

We urge Maine voters to vote “No on One.” We must enforce the law passed by the Maine Legislature. The secretary of state should request a recall of all the deceiving Yes on One political signs. The message is wrong and misrepresents the ballot question.

“Big Pharma” is not on the ballot. Maine voters can limit the spread of serious and sometimes-fatal communicable diseases by upholding the law and voting “no” on Question 1.

Peter K. Shaw, M.D., FACP, FACC

Falmouth

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