Daniel Miller

On a scale of “Strongly Agree” (5) to “Strongly Disagree,” (1) rank your position on the following statements: 

Vaccines are safe: 5
Vaccines are effective at preventing disease: 5
Keeping children safe is a shared responsibility: 5

What is your position on West Virginia’s current school vaccine requirements (which allow only medical exemptions)? 

Maintain current requirements

In your view, what role should the state play in ensuring access to vaccines—especially in rural or underserved communities? 

The state should be responsible for providing free and easily accessible vaccinations. The state should also be maintaining data on vaccination rates in areas of the state, reporting on which communities are underserved, or where vaccination rates are low.

Which of the following best reflects your understanding? 

Vaccines primarily protect the individual receiving them
Vaccines help protect both individuals and the broader community
Vaccination is largely a personal decision with limited community impact
Vaccination is a personal decision regardless of community impact 

If a preventable disease outbreak (such as measles) occurred in your district, what actions—if any—would you take as a policymaker (e.g., make a statement regarding safety, coordinate with public health officials, take policy actions, encourage vaccination, etc.

I would state that those who show signs of symptoms should quarantine immediately, followed by contacting their PCP and follow their instructions. Provide public information on steps to ensure safety of self and community, such as symptoms care and ways to lower risk of transmission (frequent hand washing, wearing masks, checking vaccination status, etc.). Coordinate with health officials to provide mobile vaccination and testing stations, much like during COVID. I would work with the education department to develop strategies if the outbreak occurs to limit transmission among at-risk students and staff.

Is there anything else you would like West Virginia voters to know about your approach to public health, community wellbeing, and/or vaccines?

I come from a medical household and have studied Biomedical Science at Marshall University. I am pro vaccines and believe that all those who can get vaccines, should. I do not believe vaccines should be forced onto people, but state-wide educational campaigns should be invested in.