Every state in the United States of America allows for some wiggle room when it comes to children being vaccinated. However, most of the time the parent or guardian is required to have a particular reason why they are against vaccinating children.
In early 2015, the Magic Kingdom became not so magical. 147 people were infected with Measles at Disneyland in California prior to it being contained. Many blame exemptions from vaccinations as the main reason why it spread so quickly.
There are three main categories that a parent can use when not wanting their child to be vaccinated: medical, religious, or philosophical. If a parent chooses to not vaccinate their child due to philosophical reasons, there are a limited number of states where they can live and have it not be a problem. For example, Washington, California, Maine, and Louisiana (among others) all allow a parent or guardian to have philosophical reasons why they won’t vaccinate their children. However, Georgia, Nevada, Iowa, and New York (among others) all do not allow this.
There are also different levels of difficulty when applying for these exemptions. In some states, it is relatively easy to apply for an exemption, while in others the process is quite simple. Utah, Montana, Alabama, and Kentucky (among others) are some examples of states that have a more difficult process. Each of these states require a notarized form or both a form signed by a healthcare professional and a letter of explanation in order to apply for exemption.
On the other hand, states like Arizona, North Dakota, Wisconsin, and Hawaii (again, among others) all have a very simple process. All that is required in each of these states is a parent’s or guardian’s signature. To know which side your state leans toward, a simple internet search should provide the information.
