WA families lose philosophical, personal exemption for MMR vaccine

measles-vaccine

Washington families who have had personal or philosophical exemptions to the vaccine for measles, mumps, and rubella will have to vaccinate their children or get a different exemption as school starts this fall.

But the requirement for a new exemption can be easily bypassed, as parents can use the same form to request a religious exemption rather than a personal or philosophical one. As was true of the personal or philosophical exemption to the MMR vaccine, the religious exemption does require the signature of a health care provider.

Washington families can also still get a medical exemption or a second type of religious exemption for those who “belong to a church or religion that objects to the use of medical treatment.”

Washington state lawmakers cut the philosophical or personal exemption for the MMR vaccine earlier this year after measles outbreaks flared up around the state. Without one of the three remaining exemptions, the MMR vaccination is required for children to enter preschool, child care, or school in the state. Child care providers also have to get the MMR vaccine if they do not currently have it.

Families can still invoke a personal or philosophical exemptions to other vaccines, including those for polio, tetanus, and pertussis.

The new law took effect on July 28th, but families technically have a 30-day grace period to comply.

So far in 2019, there have been 85 confirmed cases of measles in four counties in Washington state, though none were east of the Cascades. Eighteen states offer nonmedical exemptions to vaccinations, including Washington, Idaho, and Oregon.

Idaho is home to eight of the top 10 counties with the highest nonmedical exemption rate for kindergarteners. Two cases of measles were reported in Moscow in June.  (Spokesman-Review)

Tags: , , , ,