Should Minnesota eliminate vaccination exemptions?
"Riding a wave of public anger over the nationwide measles outbreak, vaccine supporters are calling on state lawmakers to tighten or eliminate an exemption to Minnesota's vaccination rules," writes MPR News health reporter Lorna Benson.
Minnesota is one of 20 states that allow parents to opt out of vaccinations for their children, if they object to vaccines based on personal beliefs. Parents can do so by providing a notarized statement to their child's school in which they say the state's vaccination requirements are contrary to their "conscientiously held beliefs." Vaccine advocates say the philosophical exemption is overused and has made Minnesotans needlessly vulnerable to measles. A bill in the Legislature this session authored by state Rep. Mike Freiberg, DFL-Golden Valley, would require parents to consult with a medical professional before they could claim that exemption.
Today's Question: Should Minnesota eliminate vaccination exemptions?
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