Scientific American: The U.S. Needs to Tighten Vaccination Mandates

More than 1000 cases of measles have been reported as of mid-June 2019. The disease was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000 but has resurfaced mainly in isolated groups of unvaccinated people. People who choose not to vaccinate are not only putting themselves in danger but also those who are unable to vaccinate due to young age or medical restrictions. Although all 50 states mandate that children must be vaccinated before entering school unless they have a medical exemption, almost every state offers religious exemptions, personal / philosophical exemptions, and many more. Many people are taking advantage of these exemptions, causing the vaccination rate to fall rapidly. If a community’s vaccination rate falls below 93-95 percent, an infected person can easily cause an outbreak. Recently, California, Mississippi, West Virginia, and Maine have gotten rid of both religious and personal / philosophical exemptions, and these states have the highest vaccination rates in the nation. In order to protect public health, other states should follow suit. For the full article, click here.