Vaccine exemption in SC? (exemptions, law, licensed)

[pharmommy]

Hi: I've read the information about vaccination exemption in SC, and it says that you have to make an appt and go in person to the district health office. Has anyone here gotten a vaccine exemption for your children? Did they give you a hard time or just sign the paperwork?

Thank you!

[DipDog3]

DHEC will give you the form when you show up in person.

Skipping out on vaccinations for your kids in a bad idea not only for your kids but anyone they come in contact with.

[pharmommy]

Dipdog, I didn't ask for anyone's input on my family's health decisions. I am a medical professional who has done vaccine research, so I know what I'm doing. No one else is at risk from my children not being vaccinated--you can't catch a disease from someone who doesn't have the disease. Thanks for the information on DHEA--that's what I needed to know.

[plotzonit]

Originally Posted by pharmommy

Dipdog, I didn't ask for anyone's input on my family's health decisions. I am a medical professional who has done vaccine research, so I know what I'm doing. No one else is at risk from my children not being vaccinated--you can't catch a disease from someone who doesn't have the disease. Thanks for the information on DHEA--that's what I needed to know.

I respect your choice/decision but as a medical professional you should know that if your child/children did indeed come down with a childhood disease, like measles for example - they would be contagious before you would even know your child/children had the disease. If they come into contact with an infant during this time who is too young for vaccination, your child/children could in fact pass the measles on to that infant with deadly consequences. If that were my baby - I'd be ticked/devastated beyond belief. Then would you say you knew what you were doing?

Just playing devil's advocate here. It's common knowledge that many diseases have decreased in activity due to vaccinations. If more people decided to NOT vaccinate their children, these diseases would be on the rise again.

I contracted chicken pox at 34 years of age while 5 months pregnant with my daughter. I was told I was lucky that I didn't contract the disease in my first trimester. If so, and if she were to have contracted the disease in utero, she could have been born without limbs. As it was I was told that even at my later stage of pregnancy, if she did indeed contract the disease, she could have been severely scarred, have respiratory issues and even be born blind. Needless to say when she arrived I was afraid to look at her because I was already so much in love with her and just wanted a healthy child. Thankfully she was okay. And yes - she got and gets vaccinated!

In probability, I didn't contract chicken pox from an unimmunized child or children - but who knows? I COULD have. If that were the case, I'd LOVE to have a serious discussion with the child/childrens' parents.

In September of last year 9 infants died of the whooping cough in California. Officials blamed the lack of vaccination in adults and teens who came into contact with the infants (which could have been their own siblings or parents) for their contracting the disease and, unfortunately, dying from it.

As I said, I respect your decision, but I personally don't care if you like my opinion on the subject or not. If you come onto a very public forum requesting information, and if something you are discussing strikes a nerve with people - they're going to comment (such as myself).

Personally, I think it is foolish to not immunize your child when the risks from immunizatin, which there are, are so small. There ARE, however, cases where a child may already have a medical condition where immunization could harm them. In those cases, I do understand a parent not getting them immunized.

[Nuke64]

SCDHEC: Immunizations: FAQ

Question:
What type of immunization exemptions is available in South Carolina?
Answer:
Medical and religious exemptions are the only available immunization exemptions in South Carolina.

Question:
What is a religious exemption?
Answer:
A South Carolina Certificate of Religious Exemption (DHEC form 1126) may be granted to any student whose parent, guardian, or person in loco parentis signs the appropriate section of the exemption stating they are members of a recognized religious denomination in which the tenets and practices of the religious denomination conflict with immunizations.

Question:
What is a medical exemption?
Answer:
South Carolina state law recognizes exemptions to immunization for medical contraindications as determined by a licensed healthcare provider. Only an individual licensed to practice medicine, surgery, or osteopathy or his/her representative may issue a certificate of medical exemption to immunization. There is one DHEC form – The South Carolina Certificate of Immunization – that meets both the certification and the medical exemption regulations (SC Regulation 61-8). This form is the DHEC 1148 and is available to licensed physicians upon request.



As you are a medical professional, I can't see how you can claim a religious exemption, especially as you seem to be a pharmasist.

[ruby123]

wow can't anyone answer the question of whether it is difficult to get a relilgious exemption in south carolina. ????

[Christin M]

I would guess that no one who has read this board thus far has tried to get a religious exemption and that is why the question has not been answered.
As the number of unvaccinated kids rises, the health of the community at large IS put at risk.

[topchief1]

Originally Posted by Christin M

I would guess that no one who has read this board thus far has tried to get a religious exemption and that is why the question has not been answered.
As the number of unvaccinated kids rises, the health of the community at large IS put at risk.

I believe they said at one point, whooping cough was almost extinct, but because too many parents who "knew best" for their children, refused to get them vaccinated, and it's since make a comeback. But hey, they knew what was best for their children, right?

[plotzonit]

Wow - I don't see where the original question asked for a "religious" exemption.

[Christin M]

The only type of exemption that can be obtained in SC besides a medical exemption which must be recommended by a doctor is a religious exemption so obviously that is what is being asked about.