Opinion: Vaccinations – Let parents make the choice

The Record
Charlotte Vandervalk, R-Westwood, is an assemblywoman representing District 39. Send comments about this article to Peter Grad, Op-Ed Page editor, at grad@northjersey.com

THE YOUNG DAUGHTER of the woman calling my office had been given her shots for school, had a reaction, and then spent months in the hospital recovering from paralysis. Now, her son was to get the same shots or he wouldn’t be allowed in school.

Despite the family history, the son couldn’t get a medical exemption because New Jersey’s law is extremely narrow. The son was terrified. The mother was traumatized and angry that the state was giving her no options. The family was still recovering financially from the daughter’s hospitalization and didn’t want to risk having the same thing happen to their son.

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