Topeka — A Kansas lawmaker known for promoting unreliable treatments for COVID-19 patients on Thursday approved a similar bill, an attempt to strip state health officials of their powers to fight infectious diseases. He asked for the bill to be submitted.
Kansas Department of Health and Environment officials said the proposed bill would pose serious health risks.
Sen. Mark Steffen, R-Hutchinson; anesthesiologist Under investigation for prescribing unreliable deworming treatments for livestock For patients with the new coronavirus infection (COVID-19), frequently criticize Safety measures taken by the governor and state health officials during the COVID-19 pandemic.
His recent efforts are Senate Bill 391, would strip state and local governments of their authority to impose quarantines and other measures aimed at slowing the spread of communicable diseases. Similar bills have failed to gain traction in the past few years.
“(The bill) brings humility and integrity to a troubled and chronically ill government sector through an advisory role.” stephen He told his fellow MPs on Thursday.
Among other provisions in the bill, the Secretary of Health and Environment would not be able to designate infectious and communicable diseases within the state, which would require health care providers, hospitals, and laboratories to report cases of infectious and communicable diseases to Kansas. This means there is no need to report to the health department. And the environment.
The bill would also strip the Secretary of State's authority to take measures to prevent the spread of infectious and communicable diseases. Instead, the Secretary would submit a report on the disease to Congress and recommend ways to prevent the spread of the disease.
Current requirements for social workers, teachers and school administrators to report cases to public health authorities will be removed. Local health authorities, counties, and local boards of health will no longer be able to prohibit public gatherings in the event of an infectious or communicable disease outbreak.
KDHE Deputy Secretary Ashley Goss warned during Thursday's public hearing on the bill that it could have devastating consequences.
“Public health is about ensuring that hospitals practice good infection control, that children can play, learn, grow, and stay healthy, and that when one person gets an old or new disease, it spreads everywhere. I guarantee you there is no need…It would undo hundreds of years of public health efforts that have helped control the spread of infectious and communicable diseases in our state.'' said Goss.
In a financial report on the bill, KDHE officials said the bill would make it much more difficult to monitor outbreaks such as measles.
Officials outlined a measles outbreak in the state in 2018, with 22 cases reported. Without isolation and quarantine measures, an estimated 396 people would have been infected and the cost of the public health response to the outbreak would have increased by approximately $7.1 million, from an estimated $419,584 to $7.6 million.
“Authorities note that this is just one example of the increased costs of a single measles outbreak.” read accounting report. “KDHE investigates between 32 and 108 outbreaks annually in Kansas caused by reported illnesses or illnesses for which there are isolation and quarantine regulations.”
Measles, a highly contagious disease, was nearly eradicated in the United States by 2000, but cases have resurfaced as vaccine skepticism continues to grow.
Measles is especially dangerous for infants and young children, where it can affect the lungs and brain and cause serious complications. This vaccine, like the COVID-19 vaccine, has been proven to be safe and effective, despite the claims of vaccine naysayers.
Stephens put aside concerns about measles.
“It's there, it's always been there, and there are probably three reasons why it's always going to be there,” Steffen said. “Firstly, there are people who are not vaccinated due to their own personal decisions. The measles vaccine is not 100% perfect. And thirdly, there are millions of undocumented immigrants who are not vaccinated. Think about the fact that it's pushing across borders and into every corner of this country.”
His claim is false. Measles outbreaks in the United States are thought to be caused not by illegal immigration but by travel to areas where measles is still endemic, such as Europe, Africa, and parts of Asia. Outbreaks in the United States typically occur when unvaccinated American travelers become infected in other countries and spread measles upon their return. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Stefan also introduced Senate Bill 390 This Congress includes legislation that says employers, schools, and other organizations cannot discriminate against or deny services based on conscience-based objections to vaccination, among other provisions.
