Jillian Dubois

Honorable Chair and Members of the Committee, As a parent of two children in public elementary school and a former public school teacher myself, I strongly oppose this bill. My children are still young and prefer to receive their annual flu shots with one of their parents, but I could definitely see them utilizing school vaccine clinics when they are a bit older. Life is busy with kids, and scheduling appointments can be difficult, so school-based clinics can be helpful even for families who are lucky enough to have access to affordable care. Flu outbreaks can be very disruptive to students, teachers, student-athletes, and the whole community. I remember when I was in high school here in New Hampshire myself, there was one year that there were so many flu cases that the entire school was closed to try to prevent its spread. Especially right now when so many schools are struggling with labor shortages for substitute teachers, bus drivers, and educational assistants, it's really important that we maintain the strategies we have in place to prevent illness. Please oppose HB1449.