Submit written testimony to the Public Health Committee in support of the Community Immunity Act. Written testimony should be submitted by e-mail to members of the Committee (addresses of all members are provided below); suggested templates follow, or craft your own. It is critical that we do everything we can to balance the volume of disinformation and anti-vax propaganda that opponents have said and continue to submit to members of the Committee.
Note, the vaccine refusal emails continue to flood the inboxes of Committee members. Their numbers and engagement have skewed some press coverage in such a way as to lend legitimacy to the anti-vax movement and its repeated propaganda. Please mobilize your networks to help send a wave of voices of science and reason to the Committee.
PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE EMAILS
INDIVIDUAL WRITTEN TESTIMONY TEMPLATE
Dear Chair Comerford, Chair Decker, and Distinguished Members of the Joint Committee on Public Health:
I write to express my strong support for S.1517/H.2271, the Community Immunity Act, filed by Senator Rausch and Representatives Donato and Vargas. You heard testimony on this critical legislation on Monday, July 12. As we endeavor to emerge from a global pandemic, I urge you to expediently advance the Community Immunity Act with a favorable report.
We need only look around to see the importance of widespread herd immunity (both localized and statewide) and the need to improve our public health infrastructure. Unfortunately, our current infectious disease prevention provisions leave gaping holes in our public health protections. Every corner of our Commonwealth faces a concerningly high rate of under- or unimmunized youth, threatening our communities’ health and safety. (Please consider these maps: https://www.beccarauschma.com/communityimmunitymap.)
The Community Immunity Act fixes the holes by creating the statutory immunization infrastructure our Commonwealth needs, without mandating vaccines or striking the religious exemption. I support this comprehensive bill because [insert your reasons here].
As our elected leaders, please embrace this once-in-a-generation moment to protect generations to come. I ask that you swiftly advance the Community Immunity Act out of the Public Health Committee with a favorable report. Please help to keep all of us safe and healthy, particularly people who are immunocompromised and rely on community immunity.
Thank you for your consideration and your service to the people of the Commonwealth.
Sincerely,[your full name]
[your phone number (optional)]
[complete address – street, city, state, zip]
