Question: If a parent doesn’t vaccinate their child for measles and gets a religious exemption, does that exemption guarantee the child will be allowed to go to school if there is a measles outbreak? I think my friend is confused.
Answer: No, on the contrary — unvaccinated children would be kept home. Hawaii law is clear about this, stating in the Department of Health’s administrative rules that “if at any time, the director determines that there is the danger or presence of an outbreak or epidemic from any of the communicable diseases for which immunization is required under this chapter, the exemption from immunization against such disease shall not be recognized and inadequately immunized students shall be excluded from school until the director has determined that the presence or danger of the outbreak or epidemic no longer exists.”
The Health Department sent a letter last week to parents and guardians of K-12 students emphasizing the importance of vaccination against measles — Hawaii’s vaccination rate is 90% while 95% is needed to prevent an outbreak of the highly contagious disease, the letter said.
The DOH plans to issue a temporary emergency rule allowing children with a religious exemption to receive the MMR vaccine (measles, mumps and rubella), while retaining the exemption to other vaccines and continuing to attend school, the letter said. Perhaps your friend did not understand this nuance: The MMR vaccine would be required.
Another reader with school-age children, as well as an infant too young to be vaccinated against measles, urged Hawaii parents to check the vaccination rates at their children’s schools, which are posted on the Health Department’s website; the lists reflect all immunization requirements, not just the MMR vaccine.
Find links to school immunization reports, which include public, charter and private schools, at 808ne.ws/immrep Opens in a new tab, on the DOH website, which also has details about school health requirements.
Q: Regarding the city’s new emergency alert system, creating a profile requires giving personal information. Is that protected?
A: “The information that you provide will only be used for notification purposes. We will not give or sell your contact or location information to any other vendor or organization,” according to the HNL Alert website, hnlalert.gov Opens in a new tab.
You don’t have to create a profile to receive the most urgent alerts. The city’s Department of Emergency Management says there are two ways to sign up for HNL Alerts:
“Customized Alerts: Users can create an account at hnlalert.gov. With an account, users can select the topics they would like to be alerted about and pick any combination of text messages, email alerts, or push notifications from the Public Safety by Everbridge app. Residents can enter one or more addresses to get targeted alerts about events impacting specific areas (such) as their home and workplace. Users can make changes to preferred alert topics or methods at any time.
“Urgent Alerts Only: Text “HNLALERT” to 888777 to quick subscribe and get the most important safety alerts by text. No registration needed!”
Mahalo
Mahalo to Alyssa and her daughter (whose name I didn’t obtain) and Teri from my doctor’s office, all of whom helped me with my breathing problem in Kailua on March 20. I had a doctor’s appointment and parked my car in street parking. After getting out of my car, I started to walk across the street to my doctor’s office; however, after 10 feet I started having trouble breathing due to the heat and humidity. Alyssa saw that I was in distress and immediately came to my assistance. Alyssa (who was using a wheelchair) asked questions to determine the extent of my problem. She even volunteered the use of her wheelchair to get to my doctor’s office! Her daughter instead got her car and drove me across the street and went to my doctor’s 6th-floor office to determine if they had a chair to assist me to the office. Teri from my doctor’s 6th-floor office located a chair on the 3rd floor, borrowed the chair and got me to the doctor’s office. After my appointment, Teri wheeled me backed to my car after my breathing improved. Three beautiful angels in Kailua! I can’t thank them enough for their help that day. — J.K.
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 2-200, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
