(1) The general assembly hereby finds and declares that: (a) Immunization is one of the most important ways to protect individuals and communities against serious infectious diseases and their consequences, and widespread immunization has virtually eliminated many serious diseases that were once responsible for millions of infections and thousands of deaths each year. (b) Although immunization rates of infants, children, adolescents, and adults in Colorado have improved over the last several years, there is a need to continue to improve the rates so that fewer individuals are put at risk from vaccine-preventable diseases. (c) Timely vaccination of children, adolescents, and adults not only protects them against common, sometimes serious, and potentially fatal diseases, but also serves the community as one of the most successful and cost-effective public health tools available for the prevention and spread of these infections, and the vaccines are safe and highly protective, particularly when administered according to recommended schedules. (d) More than twenty percent of preschool-aged children in Colorado are not fully vaccinated and are at increased risk of contracting and spreading vaccine-preventable diseases. (e) It is unnecessary for children, adolescents, and adults to be subjected to suffering or death from diseases that are immunization preventable. (f) In 2005, hospital charges for the care of children with vaccine-preventable diseases exceeded twenty-five million dollars. Additionally, tens of millions of dollars were spent on the costs of the outpatient care of affected children, in addition to the costs of the loss of productivity and absences from work for caregivers due to the absences of children from school. (g) Over the past three decades, the recommended vaccination schedules for children and adults have become increasingly more complex as vaccines have been combined, new vaccines have been added, and the delivery system has incorporated more manufacturers, distributors, and providers. Additionally, local and national vaccine shortages and distribution errors have resulted in compromised vaccination initiatives. (h) For Colorado to be consistent with the healthy people 2010 initiative and reach the goal of immunizing ninety percent of all children in the state in a timely and expeditious manner, the Colorado immunization information system must be funded and sustained. The Colorado immunization information system may also provide a secure method for authorized individuals and entities to access information collected by public agencies. (2) Therefore, the general assembly supports the expansion of the Colorado immunization registry and supports increased access to immunizations for persons in Colorado.
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