In order to attend school in the US, all 50 states require most parents/guardians to vaccinate their children against select preventable diseases (i.e., diseases that can be prevented through immunization). Such diseases include mumps, measles, rubella (German measles), and whooping cough (pertussis). However, in addition to medical exemptions, most states also allow parents/guardians to opt out of vaccination requirements for religious reasons. Further, 17 states also allow other exemptions, such as allowing families to opt out of school vaccination requirements for personal or philosophical reasons.

Concerns regarding the ease with which parents/guardians can opt their children out of required vaccinations have risen in light of outbreaks of measles and, to a lesser extent, mumps, forcing some states to rethink such exemptions. Over the past two years, more than 500 people have contracted measles – a disease that had been all but eradicated. The measles virus is highly contagious, is airborne, and easily spreads.

It is not only those unvaccinated children who are vulnerable to the virus, but others who have compromised immune systems are also highly susceptible, as well as infants too young to be vaccinated.  

Despite the wrongheaded claims from some in Washington, the scientific consensus about any risk from vaccines is that serious side effects are extremely rare, and any assertions that immunization might be tied to severe consequences like autism were debunked years ago.

Bills to restrict exemptions are now pending in a number of states.