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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, January 30, 2003

BUREAUCRACY BUSTER
Student vaccine rule explained

By Treena Shapiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

Q: I was told all seventh-graders have to get hepatitis B and chickenpox vaccines or they can't go to school. I contacted the Department of Health and was told I could opt out ONLY if I had a religious objection with a signature from my church to prove it. ... The vaccines haven't been proved safe and effective to my satisfaction.

A: Your only other alternative is to get a medical exemption from your child's physician, according to Department of Health spokeswoman Janice Okubo.

Okubo said physicians can grant exemptions to individuals with diseases that compromise their immune system, who are allergic to the vaccine or who are pregnant.

Okubo said many people do not realize the importance of being vaccinated against the diseases, which are passed frequently between adolescents. Hawai'i has one of the higher rates in the nation for hepatitis B, which can cause serious liver problems or cancer. Chickenpox can also be very dangerous, or even fatal, in some individuals, she said.

For more information, see the department's Web site.


Q. Do tow trucks have any special exemptions that allow them to speed or otherwise disregard traffic laws?

A. Nope. Tow trucks are not authorized emergency vehicles, so they're bound by the same traffic laws as just about everyone else. Honolulu Police Traffic Division Capt. Jose Gaytan said the only reason tow trucks may disregard the law is if police officers on the scene direct them to do so.

Gaytan said only emergency vehicles with blue or red lights can exempt themselves from regulations. The yellow lights on tow trucks indicate that they are not authorized emergency vehicles.


Q. Untended and misdirected sprinkler heads in front of the Honolulu Zoo entrance water the sidewalk and create several small lakes between the sidewalk and the banyan tree. ... At least, why not let the ducks and all the water birds out of the zoo so they can delight in this midnight fountain water festival?

A. City spokeswoman Carol Costa said the sprinklers appear to be misaligned and the Department of Enterprise Services will replace the one that may have broken off. "We appreciate the heads-up from the community," she said.

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Do you ever get frustrated or confused trying to navigate the various layers of government? Are you looking for an answer to a simple question but can't figure out where to start? If you have a question or a problem and need help getting to the right person, you can reach The Bureaucracy Buster one of three ways:

• Write to: The Bureaucracy Buster
The Honolulu Advertiser
605 Kapi'olani Blvd.
Honolulu, HI 96813

• e-mail: buster@honoluluadvertiser.com

• Phone: 535-2454 and leave a message.

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