Request a Public Hearing to Oppose Health Department Rule Changes
We Need All Hands On Deck! Public Comment Needed by 5 pm,
Friday August 9th to Request a Public Hearing & Oppose!
Wyoming Health Freedom Members & Supporters, We have an urgent call to action. Those of you on the NVIC Advocacy Portal received an alert about this call to action recently, if you are not on their email list for legislative alerts I suggest you join at http://nvicadvocacy.org/members/Home.aspx
There is a proposal to add a Meningitis Vaccine Mandate for school children. They are also proposing changes to the administrative rules governing vaccine waivers and the Wyoming Immunization Information System.
Wyoming Health Freedom is OPPOSED to the proposed rule change. There is currently no public hearing scheduled. We need a minimum of 25 individuals to request a public hearing. On behalf of our our supporters & members WHF will be requesting a public hearing to be scheduled.
We cannot do this alone & we need your support, the Wyoming Health Department needs to hear from all of us! They require 25 persons, a government subdivision, or an association having not less than 25 members. Public comments on the proposed rule changes need to be submitted by 5 PM AUG 9, 2019
Current Rules are available here -
https://health.wyo.gov/publichealth/immunization/statutes_rules/
Proposed Rule changes are available here -
https://rules.wyo.gov/Search.aspx?mode=
*Click on proposed rules, health department and Wyoming Immunization Program.
The proposed rule changes include:
"Wyoming is in the lowest group of states showing incidence of meningococcal disease, which is the group having 0.00 to <0.06 cases per 100,000 population." See Map at CDC Meningococcal Surveillance Report
Further research into Wyoming cases of meningococcal disease shows that during the 11 year time period from 2005 through 2015, there were very few incidences of it. The Wyoming Department of Health web page says when a case of meningitis is caused by the bacteria Neisseria Meningitidis it is known as meningococcal meningitis. Between 2005 and 2015 there were 21 cases of N. meningitis in Wyoming.
Details about the cases in Wyoming:
Average age: 21 years
Median Age: 20 years
Age Range: 4 months to 86 years
Only 2 cases resulted in death
That web page includes a table of cases & counts per year for the 11-year period as well as a Wyoming map showing distribution of those 21 cases, by county. Interestingly! Albany County, home of the University of Wyoming, where you would expect the highest incidence of cases compared to other counties due to the high college student population, yet there were NO CASES during those 11 years. Information provided by -Susan Pearce of Buffalo, Wy (NVIC Wy Contact)
ACTION NEEDED
Alternate email wdh.immrules@wyo.gov
Main Phone Line: 307-777-7952
It can be a simple statement asking that a public hearing be scheduled because you have concerns and that you wish to be notified about it when it is scheduled. We are trying to mobilize enough people to request a public hearing, however any additional public comment on the proposed rule changes is also helpful!
We cannot promise that everyone will get an opportunity to speak at a scheduled public hearing & there could be limitations to how many are given the opportunity. To guarantee your comment is added to the record, after you request a public hearing be held, now is the best time to submit public comment before the Aug 9, 2019 deadline!
Wyoming Health Freedom is a volunteer organization and we depend on your support to help preserve our mission to continue the fight for Health Freedom in Wyoming! We can not fight alone. If you would like to donate visit our website at... https://www.wyominghealthfreedom.org/donate.html
To Liberty & Health Freedom!
Kristy Tyrney & Wyoming Health Freedom Board Members
- Action Alert Instructions
- Wyoming Dept of Health Proposing Rules
- More Vaccine Mandates
- Expanded Tracking &
- Changes to Exemption Form
We Need All Hands On Deck! Public Comment Needed by 5 pm,
Friday August 9th to Request a Public Hearing & Oppose!
Wyoming Health Freedom Members & Supporters, We have an urgent call to action. Those of you on the NVIC Advocacy Portal received an alert about this call to action recently, if you are not on their email list for legislative alerts I suggest you join at http://nvicadvocacy.org/members/Home.aspx
There is a proposal to add a Meningitis Vaccine Mandate for school children. They are also proposing changes to the administrative rules governing vaccine waivers and the Wyoming Immunization Information System.
Wyoming Health Freedom is OPPOSED to the proposed rule change. There is currently no public hearing scheduled. We need a minimum of 25 individuals to request a public hearing. On behalf of our our supporters & members WHF will be requesting a public hearing to be scheduled.
We cannot do this alone & we need your support, the Wyoming Health Department needs to hear from all of us! They require 25 persons, a government subdivision, or an association having not less than 25 members. Public comments on the proposed rule changes need to be submitted by 5 PM AUG 9, 2019
Current Rules are available here -
https://health.wyo.gov/publichealth/immunization/statutes_rules/
Proposed Rule changes are available here -
https://rules.wyo.gov/Search.aspx?mode=
*Click on proposed rules, health department and Wyoming Immunization Program.
The proposed rule changes include:
- A new mandate effective Aug 1, 2020 for Meningococcal Vaccine (Serogroups A, C, W, and Y)to be given in accordance with Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). Previous waivers do not cover NEW vaccine mandates, so if a parent chooses to use a religious or medical waiver for this new vaccine should it be mandated, a new waiver would need to be submitted!
"Wyoming is in the lowest group of states showing incidence of meningococcal disease, which is the group having 0.00 to <0.06 cases per 100,000 population." See Map at CDC Meningococcal Surveillance Report
Further research into Wyoming cases of meningococcal disease shows that during the 11 year time period from 2005 through 2015, there were very few incidences of it. The Wyoming Department of Health web page says when a case of meningitis is caused by the bacteria Neisseria Meningitidis it is known as meningococcal meningitis. Between 2005 and 2015 there were 21 cases of N. meningitis in Wyoming.
Details about the cases in Wyoming:
Average age: 21 years
Median Age: 20 years
Age Range: 4 months to 86 years
Only 2 cases resulted in death
That web page includes a table of cases & counts per year for the 11-year period as well as a Wyoming map showing distribution of those 21 cases, by county. Interestingly! Albany County, home of the University of Wyoming, where you would expect the highest incidence of cases compared to other counties due to the high college student population, yet there were NO CASES during those 11 years. Information provided by -Susan Pearce of Buffalo, Wy (NVIC Wy Contact)
- Changes the way evidence of immunity can be submitted in lieu of vaccination for varicella (chickenpox) by adding the following new requirements: (B) A child who has neither an epidemiologic link nor laboratory confirmation of varicella may not be considered as having a valid history of disease. (b) Written diagnosis or verification includes: (i) A complete verification of Disease Statement found at... https://health.wyo.gov/publichealth/immunization/ and made available by the department upon request; or (ii) A signed statement from a physician, certifying diagnosis or verification of a history of varicella or herpes zoster by a physician or the physician's designee
- **UPDATE** Upon scheduling a public hearing the Health Dept dropped this proposal >> Changes the religious waiver to include the word "Genuine", "A waiver of an immunization required under Section 4 of this chapter must be granted If written genuine religious objection is submitted to the State Health Officer or a County Health Officer by the child's parent." The current rule does not include the word genuine only that a religious waiver must be granted If written evidence of a religious objection is submitted to the State Health Officer or a County Health Officer by the child's parents.
The current religious waiver form provided by the health department includes the word genuine on it, however Wyoming State law only states - Waivers shall be authorized by the state or county officer upon submission of written evidence of religious object.
To learn more about Wyoming Exemption Laws visit here> https://www.wyominghealthfreedom.org/news/wyoming-exemption-laws
To view Wyoming exemptions forms & our letter template visit here> https://www.wyominghealthfreedom.org/news/exemption-forms-or-letter
- Removing Patient Consent in the current Section 13 Chapter 5, Wyoming Immunization Information System - (i) The Department may not retain individually identifiable information in the IIS for a patient listed on an approved Use and Disclosure Restriction (F-12) form. This is replaced with Section 11 -Use and Disclosure Restriction that states - A patient or parent may request an exclusion of his or his child's immunization information from the WY IIS using the form and process established by the Department. Immunization Information shall be maintained in aggregate format.
- Adds the requirement that medical waivers include whether the contraindication is permanent or temporary. It is not clear if current medical waivers would need to be resubmitted with this information or if current waivers would be grandfathered.
- Adds a definition for contraindication for medical waivers - (v) "Contraindication" means a condition in a recipient that increases the risk for a serious adverse reaction. This is a very narrow language that is used in ACIP Guidelines.
ACTION NEEDED
- Request that a public hearing be held on the proposed rule changes by 5:00 PM Aug 9, 2019 to Jude Alden, Immunization Unit Manager Public Health Division, Immunization Program Wyoming Department of Health
UPDATE**** IN ORDER FOR YOUR REQUEST TO BE COUNTED FOR A PUBLIC HEARING, IT MUST BE REQUESTED & RECORDED VIA EMAIL (CALLING IS FOR EXTRA REASSURANCE THEY RECEIVED YOUR REQUEST)
Alternate email wdh.immrules@wyo.gov
Main Phone Line: 307-777-7952
It can be a simple statement asking that a public hearing be scheduled because you have concerns and that you wish to be notified about it when it is scheduled. We are trying to mobilize enough people to request a public hearing, however any additional public comment on the proposed rule changes is also helpful!
We cannot promise that everyone will get an opportunity to speak at a scheduled public hearing & there could be limitations to how many are given the opportunity. To guarantee your comment is added to the record, after you request a public hearing be held, now is the best time to submit public comment before the Aug 9, 2019 deadline!
Wyoming Health Freedom is a volunteer organization and we depend on your support to help preserve our mission to continue the fight for Health Freedom in Wyoming! We can not fight alone. If you would like to donate visit our website at... https://www.wyominghealthfreedom.org/donate.html
To Liberty & Health Freedom!
Kristy Tyrney & Wyoming Health Freedom Board Members