The Great Debate Over Vaccinations

By Sandy K. Johnson

States where measles vaccination rates fall below 90 percent are “a setup for the virus to spread,” said Dr. Anne Schuchat of the Centers for Disease Control. Those states are Colorado, Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Kansas, Idaho, District of Columbia and Washington state, according to CDC vaccination data.

On a micro level, she said in some school districts 20 percent of children have been exempted from vaccination requirements due to the family’s personal beliefs. “That is a very dangerous situation,” said Schuchat, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.

Even within Washington state, there is a “night and day” difference on exemptions based on geography. See infographic here.

Fact: Nationwide, just 1 percent of children have not been vaccinated.

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