Christie supports parents’ vaccination choice
Later says kids should get measles shots
CAMBRIDGE, England – New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said Monday parents should have some choice on whether to vaccinate their children, a position he’s taken before but one that drew a new level of attention amid a U.S. measles outbreak and his recent moves toward running for president.
The political significance of Christie’s remarks was amplified by his office a short time later, when it released a statement saying the governor believes “with a disease like measles there is no question kids should be vaccinated.”
Christie’s stumble into the vaccine issue came as a measles outbreak centered in California has sickened more than 100 people in several states and Mexico, putting a new spotlight on parents who choose not to vaccinate their children. Some do so for religious or philosophical reasons, while others cite a concern that vaccines can lead to autism and developmental disorders – a link debunked by rigorous medical research.
Christie found an ally in fellow Republican White House prospect Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, who said in a Monday radio interview that most vaccines should be voluntary.
“I have heard of many tragic cases of walking, talking, normal children who wound up with profound mental disorders after vaccines,” Paul, an eye doctor, said in a subsequent interview while suggesting vaccines were “a good thing.” “But I think the parents should have some input. The state doesn’t own your children.”
His staff, too, sent out a clarifying statement afterward, saying that Paul “believes that vaccines have saved lives, and should be administered to children. His children were all vaccinated.”
Hillary Rodham Clinton, the leading Democratic contender for the party nomination in 2016, couldn’t resist taking a dig at the GOP hopefuls on Twitter.
“The science is clear: The earth is round, the sky is blue, and #vaccineswork. Let’s protect all our kids. #GrandmothersKnowBest.”
Christie, a Republican who recently launched an organization that allows him to raise money for a possible 2016 presidential campaign, was asked about the outbreak after touring a facility operated by MedImmune, which manufactures the flu vaccine FluMist. Christie is on a three-day trip to the United Kingdom.
He said he and his wife had vaccinated their children, describing that decision as “the best expression I can give you of my opinion.” He said they believe doing so is an “important part of making sure we protect their health and the public health.”
“But,” Christie added, “I also understand that parents need to have some measure of choice in things as well. So that’s the balance that the government has to decide.”
It’s not a new position for Christie, who during his first campaign for governor in 2009 pledged to fight for greater parental involvement in vaccination decisions.
All states now require children to get certain vaccinations to enroll in school, although California and New Jersey are among 20 states that let parents opt out by obtaining a waiver. Parents in New Jersey seeking such a waiver for medical reasons must submit a written statement from their doctor or registered nurse.
President Barack Obama, asked about the outbreak last weekend, said in an interview with NBC News that all parents should get their kids vaccinated. Those children who are not, he said, put infants and those who can’t get vaccinations at risk.