Betsy Orndoff Sayers
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 make sure that our County Health Departments are able to provide vaccines at low to no cost to their respective communities.
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.
All of the above. I am a retired teacher (commuted to VA to work). I had an unvaccinated student that was pregnant when we had a case of measles be detected in our student population. The student did not want to go on homebound instruction. We had a conversation with the student, parents and school nurse to convince them that receiving homebound instruction was in the best interest of the student and the unborn child. Parent were pro-vaccine, just missed getting their daughter vaccinated for this. The new mom was vaccinated after the birth of the child. There is so much public education that needs to be done. Sadly, some of our elected representatives do not feel this way. I am a vaccine advocate!
Is there anything else you would like West Virginia voters to know about your approach to public health, community wellbeing, and/or vaccines?
Trust the science. Our healthcare workers are doing their best to improve public health. We need to do our part by working to improve our health and be vaccinated.
