Monday, June 29, 2009

New BSA Immunization Exemption Form


If you haven't seen the new BSA medical form, take a look. It is universal for all levels of Scouting now, regardless of age.

One new item on it is a checkbox for the BSA's Immunization Exemption form.

This allows Scouts and their families with faith or medical reasons to not have any or all immunizations to still be able to use Scout camps and facilities. Families have to be willing to accept responsibility for anything their Scout catches.

This doesn't prevent a Scout from still receiving a physical and being cleared of any communicable diseases.

Personally, I think it will help a lot of kids attend camp (or be honest on their physical forms). Many parents don't immunize, or at least don't follow the immunization schedule followed in the United States. The total numbers are probably very small statistically.

I've heard the argument that they are going to cause "outbreaks" of diseases--missing the obvious question of who they are going to catch it from if most of the population is immunized.

What do you think? Does this help Scouts you know? Do you see any benefits or risks?

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing this. I think it's a win/win situation all around!

Anonymous said...

Thank you! Now we won't have to explain over and over again why the DTP blocks are Xed out.

Scoutsigns said...

Or my favorite, having everything marked UTD (up-to-date)...;-)

Thanks for commenting!

Anonymous said...

Thanks I've had to immunizations nearly kill one of my boys, so we are very careful now. The chicken pox vaccine is probably one of the worst travesties out there. 5% of all kids get shingles from them, this is far worse than just getting the pox, because it comes back and if much more painful and last longer.

Thanks for the link to the form.

Anonymous said...

Thanks I've had to immunizations nearly kill one of my boys, so we are very careful now. The chicken pox vaccine is probably one of the worst travesties out there. 5% of all kids get shingles from them, this is far worse than just getting the pox, because it comes back and if much more painful and last longer.

Thanks for the link to the form.