‘You’re injuring our children.’ Vaccine critics shout down medical experts at state Capitol forum
Dozens of protesters interrupted pediatricians and state lawmakers at a press conference before a forum on vaccine availability. Critics asked why no vaccine skeptics were included on the panel.
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Dozens of vaccine opponents shouted-down top medical experts at the state Capitol on Wednesday, ahead of a panel on access to the shots.
The battle comes as the Trump administration offers conflicting, sometimes confusing guidance on who can receive immunizations and how safe they are.
SHOUTING MATCH
Wednesday's forum began with a press conference that quickly turned into a shouting match among vaccine skeptics.
“You’re injuring our children and you’re hiding it,” Kate Prokop, president of Connecticut Residents Against Medical Mandates, yelled at a physician.
Lawmakers and medical experts attempted to find common ground with protesters, some of whom held signs making fun of the speakers' appearance.
“I hear your voices, I do,” said Dr. Ulysses Wu. the chief epidemiologist at Hartford Healthcare. “But the reality is that there have been millions of lives saved.”
VACCINE FORUM
The forum itself was controversial. Democratic lawmakers convened it to counteract the Trump administration’s push to restrict vaccine access.
“It looks like they’re pumping into a horse,” President Donald Trump said on Monday. “You have a little child – a little fragile child – and you get a vat of 80 different vaccines. I guess 80 different blends, and they pump it in.”
Republican lawmakers blasted Democrats for not including vaccine skeptics on the panel. They also challenged disease specialists from Yale and UConn Health about vaccine safety studies.
“The government is playing a role in deciding that certain doctors have the science and others don’t. Because there’s many doctors that disagree with the doctors in this room,” said state Rep. Anne Dauphinais (R-Killingly). “I think the parents in this room and many of the parents who were here earlier feel dismissed with regard to the safety factor of vaccines.”
Protesters also demanded that lawmakers restore religious exemptions for school vaccines, which Connecticut banned in 2021.
VAX CONFUSION
Amid the “vax confusion,” Saugatuck Pediatrics in Westport is flooded with calls from families unsure of what to do.
Dr. Sarah Siegel, a longtime pediatrician, worries that fewer vaccinations will lead to more sick kids.
“We’re creating a lot of confusion and mistrust amongst parents over issues that have been settled by science many, many years ago,” she said. “This will start to cause some mistrust among parents, question whether vaccines are safe.”
Gov. Ned Lamont recently directed pharmacies to keep providing all currently-approved vaccines – even if the federal government restricts them. Major insurance carriers have indicated that they will keep covering the shots, including COVID-19, at least through the end of 2026.
“Everyone 6 months and older – with proper counseling, with shared decision-making – can, if they choose, get a COVID shot,” said Dr. Manisha Juthani, Connecticut’s public health commissioner.
Before Wednesday’s panel, Democratic lawmakers and doctors were asked how many of their families are vaccinated. All raised their hands.
“As pediatricians, we want to hear from you,” said Dr. Molly Markowitz, with the American Academy of Pediatrics. “As parents, every day we strive to make the best possible decisions for our children to keep the safe and healthy.”
