Community Immunity Act | Senator Becca Rausch

THE COMMUNITY
IMMUNITY ACT

S.1458 / H.2151

Sponsored by Senator Becca Rausch and Representative Paul Donato

The COVID-19 pandemic shone a spotlight on the significant, persistent holes in Massachusetts' public health infrastructure. The Community Immunity Act is a comprehensive legislative solution designed to strengthen our infectious disease prevention efforts and support vaccine access and acceptance. The bill achieves this mission by facilitating robust data collection to assess gaps in statewide vaccine delivery, standardizing immunization exemption protocols for our schools and other youth programs, and supporting local interventions in communities lacking herd immunity against dangerous (and even deadly) yet preventable diseases.

Download the Community Immunity Act "At A Glance" summary sheet here.

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MA problem

THE PROBLEM IN MASSACHUSETTS

MA does not have localized herd immunity across the state for many vaccine preventable diseases.

The Department of Public Health (DPH) lacks comprehensive data on immunization rates in daycare centers, K-12 schools, summer camps, and colleges because data reporting is neither standardized nor mandatory.

Overburdened school and camp personnel are charged with processing vaccine exemptions, a process that should be managed and monitored by public health professionals.

There is no requirement to notify parents and guardians if immunization rates drop low enough at a school or program to put their children at increased risk of contracting disease.

By the numbers

MASSACHUSETTS BY THE NUMBERS

The statewide immunizations and exemptions data set for the 2022-2023 academic year is only 64% complete. In fact, less than half the childcare centers in the Commonwealth reported any data at all to state public health officials. DPH is missing data from:

202

225

207

1,629

middle schools

elementary schools

childcares/preschools

high schools

colleges

Download a PDF copy of this By The Numbers here.

Because data reporting to DPH on immunization rates at daycare centers, schools, colleges, and summer camps is inconsistent statewide and entirely voluntary, we do not know the full landscape of immunization rates across the state.

Here's what we do know, based on the available data:

Download a PDF copy of this By The Numbers here.

Our infectious disease prevention infrastructure problems become even more stark when the missing data and concerning low immunization rates are viewed together, geographically. Take a look at these hot spot maps to learn more.

Hot Spot Maps

bill summary

COMPONENTS OF THE COMMUNITY IMMUNITY ACT

This bill will promote and support localized herd immunity statewide through the following measures:

1. SUPPORT STUDENT HEALTH:

Consistent immunization policy and protocols across MA schools

Provides Massachusetts' schools, daycares, and camps with a standardized immunizations exemptions process, administered through the Department of Public Health (DPH)
Puts religious and medical exemption management in the hands of public health professionals instead of overburdened school administrators
Allows for private schools, daycares, and camps to set more stringent requirements for immunization exemption criteria
Allows mature minors, capable of consenting to medical treatment, to access routine and safe preventative medical procedures, such as vaccination

2. IMPROVE PUBLIC HEALTH:

Comprehensive data collection and regular reporting to parents and the public

Ensures yearly immunization and exemption data reporting from youth programs and DPH, including data currently missing from thousands of Massachusetts youth programs
Authorizes DPH to collect and share population-wide immunization rate data during any public health emergency

3. ENGAGE COMMUNITIES:

Help every MA community achieve localized herd immunity

Authorizes DPH to conduct culturally competent outreach in communities lacking herd immunity against dangerous yet vaccine-preventable diseases
Supports the families of immunocompromised children in selecting the safest programs for their kids