By Steven Allen Adams for The Inter-Mountain
CHARLESTON — Gov. Patrick Morrisey said he remained confident in Dr. Mark McDaniel, the acting state health officer and commissioner of the Bureau of Public Health, following testimony last week by McDaniel in the Raleigh County religious vaccine exemption case.
Morrisey was asked about McDaniel’s testimony Tuesday morning during a press conference in the Governor’s Reception Room at the State Capitol Building.
McDaniel testified last Thursday morning on the final day of hearings on a permanent injunction being sought by Raleigh County parents who were granted religious exemptions to West Virginia’s compulsory vaccine law by the state Department of Health – via the Bureau of Public Health – per a January executive order issued by Morrisey.
The Raleigh County parents, led by Miranda Guzman, are seeking a permanent injunction against the West Virginia Board of Education, State Superintendent of Schools Michele Blatt and the Raleigh County Board of Education to prevent them from rejecting their religious exemptions per a June directive by the state board to county school systems to not accept religious exemptions.
State law requires children be vaccinated against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, varicella and hepatitis B unless a medical exemption is granted by the Department of Health.