Washington state drops personal exemptions for MMR vaccine

Washington state Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee on May 10 signed a bill aimed at boosting mumps, measles and rubella vaccination rates, reports OPB.

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Three things to know:

1. The new law prohibits parents from seeking personal or philosophical exemptions for the MMR vaccine in school-aged children.

2. The legislation comes after a measles outbreak sickened 71 people in Clark County, Wash., earlier this year. At the time of the outbreak, some schools in the county had MMR vaccination rates under 40 percent.

3. As the law only applies to the MMR vaccine, parents in Washington state can still seek personal and philosophical exemptions for other vaccinations. The state also allows religious and medical exemptions for all vaccines.

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