**UPDATE: THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS PULLED THEIR PROPOSED RULE CHANGES. READ THE FULL UPDATE HERE**

We need your help now more than ever!

The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) is proposing rule changes that will “remove guidance within the rules that specifies the number of doses, minimum ages, and appropriate intervals for those vaccines, which are required, and replaces that guidance with general guidance stating adherence to ACIP recommendations for only those immunizations which are required for Oklahoma school and child care.”

These rule changes do not add new vaccines to the required schedule, however, they do add new doses.

Why do we care? With every new dose or vaccine added, our exemption rates will increase. This fact combined with SB 925, “Track and Shame Your School” (read it here) that just passed the Senate puts our exemption choices at risk in future years. Oklahoma does not need to follow aggressive federal recommendations when it comes to the school vaccination schedule. These changes could put us on the fast track of requiring more vaccines, such as the flu or HPV vaccines. This is unacceptable! 

Read the full rule changes here.

Here is what we need you to do:

1. Submit a comment to the OSDH explaining why you oppose the proposed changes. Comments need to be submitted to the following website: https://tinyurl.com/OSDHComments When submitting your comment, please select “Chapter 535. Immunization Regulations” under “Main Subject for Comment”
2. Copy your comments into an email to Governor Kevin Stitt. Email your comments to kevin.stitt@gov.ok.gov
3. Join us at the OSDH meeting! We ask that you dress business casual to this meeting. We want to represent ourselves well. If you bring children, please bring quiet activities for them and be prepared to step out of the meeting room if they become noisy. The public hearing for the proposed changes will be on March 19, 2019, at the Oklahoma State Department of Health, 1000 Northeast Tenth Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73117-1207, in room 1102 beginning at 10:00 a.m. In the event of state offices closing due to inclement weather, there will be an alternate hearing date on March 21, 2019, at the same location in room 1102 beginning at 10:00 a.m.