Religious and Philosophical Exemptions

Religious and philosophical exemptions to vaccination are legally inconsistent, with rates varying from 1% to over 7% across U.S. states. Climbing exemption rates in some communities have directly triggered measles outbreaks, as in the 2019 outbreak with 1,241 cases. Outbreaks are 60% more likely in states where non-medical exemptions are easy to obtain, a stark contrast to #9’s focused discussion, which centers on individual risk rather than population harm.