It is law in all US states that children be properly immunized before attending school. However, in addition to medical exemptions offered in each state, 48 states allow for religious exemptions and 19 states allow personal belief exemptions. Personal belief exemptions include religious, philosophical and any other unspecified non-medical exemption.
Those states that do not allow for religious exemptions are Mississippi and West Virginia.
Those states that allow for personal belief exemptions are: Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin
(philosophical exemption is not available for day care)
For more information go to www.vaccinesafety.edu/cc-exem.htm
Terry Pfau, DO, HMD
