Colorado is seeing a spike in cases of RSV in infants and toddlers at the same time influenza and COVID-19 cases are rising
immunization
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
The 25 most-read Colorado Sun guest opinion pieces of 2020
Colorado Sun readers had a lot on their minds in 2020 — and it’s not surprising that COVID-19 was a dominant topic for those who contributed our guest opinion columns. As we tallied which of our opinion pieces attracted the most readers across the year, which are listed below, we found that a high percentage […]
Posted inCOVID, Health, News
Colorado is still seeing a sharp drop in the number of kids being vaccinated amid coronavirus
The number of childhood and adolescent vaccines administered in Colorado dropped 19% during the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic compared with the same period last year, confirming fears of alarmed pediatrics experts who believe the state is now vulnerable to devastating outbreaks of once-controlled diseases like measles. The gap puts added pressure on […]
Posted inHealth, News, Politics and Government
Republicans stopped Colorado’s vaccine bill last year with delay tactics. Will they work again?
They asked for bills to be read at length. They gave a history of the man-made chemicals perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl. There was even a request for an amendment to dedicate a bill to the 1980s TV show “Magnum, P.I.” Republicans in the Colorado legislature deployed filibuster tactics Friday in an attempt — for the second […]
Posted inHealth, News, Politics and Government
Colorado lawmakers failed to pass a bill to improve immunization rates in 2019. Here’s what’s new this year.
After three siblings were diagnosed with measles at Children’s Hospital Colorado in December, public health officials began tracking down 258 other patients who visited the emergency department that day and were potentially exposed to the disease. Public health workers needed to find the children who came to the hospital that Saturday night, the parents and […]
Posted inPolitics and Government, Technology
Where’s the line between political speech and credible threats? A Colorado bill is asking the question.
Kyle Mullica opens his email and finds one he received last year after introducing a bill at the state Capitol. The expletive-laden missive ends with this message: “The world would be better if your home burned down with you and your family in it.” The first-term state representative scrolls to find another message. This one […]
Posted inHealth, News, Politics and Government
To boost low measles vaccination rates, public health agencies are targeting Colorado’s biggest counties
Public health officials in five of Colorado’s most populous counties are trying to make a dent in the state’s low measles vaccination rate, targeting parents of kindergarteners as they warn rates are too low to prevent an outbreak. In Denver County, the parents of about 800 children ages 4-6 got letters notifying them their kids […]
Posted inColoradans, Health, News, Politics and Government
Colorado’s near-lowest vaccination rates have schools ready to enforce state law to prevent an outbreak
Concern that Colorado is vulnerable to a major outbreak of measles, mumps or whooping cough has prompted a few school districts to try something new: follow state law. Colorado requires that school districts exclude students from school if they do not have up-to-date immunizations or exemptions on file. But most districts do not follow that […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: Colorado vaccination bill would have set a dangerous and discriminatory precedent
The assertion by Dr. Edwin J. Asturias in The Colorado Sun that the minority of parents using school vaccine exemptions were only being asked to make a “small effort” is misleading. Parental efforts were already increased with the passage of HB-1288 in 2014, which also provided the health department with the vaccination coverage and exemption […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: Colorado lawmakers are gambling with measles
Senate legislators and Gov. Jared Polis better pray measles doesn’t come to Colorado the way it has to California, Washington and New York. After weeks of hard work and compromise by committed legislators, public health officials, scientists and concerned parents, House Bill 1312 was ready for discussion on the Senate floor. Suddenly, politics […]