Vermont ending philosophical exemptions for childhood vaccines

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Found via Hemant Mehta then WSLS, the AP reports:

The Vermont Senate on Friday passed and sent to the House a bill that would end the philosophical exemption from the requirement that parents get their children a series of vaccinations before they enter school.

But a religious exemption would remain in place, and senators and state Health Department officials agreed that there are no standards in Vermont law for what constitutes religious belief.

(...)

Christine Finley, immunization program manager for the state Department of Health, said to get a religious exemption parents just need to sign a form requesting one.

"Nothing would stop you if you wanted to exempt your children on religious grounds," she said.

Sen. Kevin Mullin, R-Rutland and the chief sponsor of the Senate bill, said any move to eliminate the religious exemption along with the philosophical one most likely would be challenged in court and rejected.

He acknowledged that the religious exemption left parents with a big out, but said many who have taken the philosophical exemption will not ask for the religious one.

The 1st amendment protects citizens against government interference in religious worship. However, that amendment concerns religion instead of personal philosophy. This AP report also quotes a Democratic state senator in Vermont who voted against this bill. However, given that the Vermont Senate is majority Democrat, this particular senator definitely was in the minority.

Vaccines are a public health issue. If one doesn't want to be vaccinated, how much does that person pose such a risk to other people? And is it possible to maintain herd immunity along with exemptions for vaccines?

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1. Herd immunity is upwards of 90%

And don't forget that there are some people who cannot be vaccinated. Immune compromised, babies, people on chemo-therapy, etc.

It's in everybody's interest for people to get vaccinated. It's especially in the country's interest to see to it that herd immunity is reached.