Tennessee GOP Reps Threaten to Defund Health Dept. Over 'Targeting' Kids With Vaccine Info
Republican lawmakers in Tennessee questioned health officials Wednesday over the perception that the state's health department is pressuring kids to get the COVID-19 vaccination without their parent's knowledge. Some Republican state legislators are threatening to defund the Tennessee Department of Health unless they stop "target[ing] children."
Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Lisa Piercey was questioned by Rep. Iris Rudder of Winchester at a hearing at the state Capitol, Wednesday. Rudder held up one of the State Department's social media ads featuring a happy teenager with a bandage on her arm.
"It's not your business to target children. It's your business to inform the parent that their child is eligible for the vaccination," she told the health commissioner. "So I would encourage you before our next meeting to get things like this off your website."
The clash between the health department and the Republican legislators arose from a letter sent to Tennessee vaccine providers back in May. The letter shared information about a Tennessee doctrine that would legally allow providers to administer vaccinations to minors, ages 14 through 17.
"Given the May 12, 2021 vote by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to recommend the use of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine in children ages 12 through 15 years of age, I thought it would be helpful to share Tennessee's "mature minor" doctrine with our vaccinating partners," the letter said.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/tennessee-gop-reps-threaten-to-defund-health-dept-over-targeting-kids-with-vaccine-info/ar-AALcK6q
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