2/12/15

Governor Rick Snyder

P.O. Box 30013
Lansing, Michigan 48909
Dear Governor Snyder,
Have you ever seen a child have a violent coughing fit that left them gasping for breath? Up until
recently, Im sure that you never have. My name is Gail Luskin and as a nursing student, I
certainly have heard the violent coughs and the gasping for air that pertussis brings to infants and
young children. Seeing a young child not even be able to cry because of the violent cycle of
coughing, gasping, and shaking is not something that I will soon forget.
Pertussis or whooping cough is a disease that was once almost eradicated from our society
because of the invention of a vaccination given to infants, young children, and parents. Sadly,
Michigan has become very lax on parents getting children vaccinated against preventable
diseases like pertussis. According to mlive.com, Michigan is considered to be 4th in the country
for the most kindergartner vaccination wavers for the 2013-2014 school year. In this time period,
we have seen a record total of 995 reported cases, when there were only 62 in 2002. Recently, we
have seen charter schools in Traverse City needing to shut down because of students becoming
infected with and the quick spread of pertussis.
I urge you to make vaccines mandatory before children enter school. To do this, you will need to
send out messages to all elementary schools and physician offices about the benefits of the
vaccination and how we can prevent pain and suffering to our children. I understand that you
may get a lot of resistance at first, but we must get the outbreaks of pertussis down. Some may
want you out of office, but it would almost be better to be hated for saving lives than be loved for
complying with the potential death of our children?
Some children are unable to get the vaccination due to allergies, religious differences, and
medical issues. These children need the herd immunity that is created when the people around
them are vaccinated. But now with less and less children being vaccinated, herd immunity is
almost nonexistent. Those parents who refuse vaccinations for their children tend to believe that
the shots are causing more harm than having benefits. We must educate parents about how the
CDC states that the best way to prevent pertussis is to get the vaccination. Also, that the CDC
maintains that vaccinations are the most thoroughly screened medications in the country.
Please spread the word of vaccinations, before the spread of disease hurts our children faster.
Make vaccinations mandatory before children enter school. A heated debate will arise, but with
facts, the benefits will outweigh the risks. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Gail Lynne Luskin
Ferris State University
lusking@ferris.edu