Unvaccinated Seattle Students Could Be Barred From School In The New Year | HuffPost

Unvaccinated Seattle Students Could Be Barred From School In The New Year | HuffPost

Unvaccinated Seattle Students Could Be Barred From School In The New Year
Washington state has eliminated exemptions for the MMR vaccine on personal and philosophical grounds.

Students in Washington state’s largest school system who have not met their vaccination requirements will not be allowed back at school next week, according to school officials.

Seattle Public Schools has informed parents they have until Jan. 8 to provide proof that their children have received the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine or else file for a religious or medical exemption. Any students whose parents don’t do this will not be allowed to attend classes.

In May, the state of Washington passed a bill that eliminated exemptions for the MMR vaccine on personal and philosophical grounds. The bill, which applies to public and private school students and to kids in child care, took effect in July. Volunteers and people employed by child care centers must also be vaccinated.

The state experienced two measles outbreaks in 2019, with a combined 87 cases. It was the most cases Washington had seen since 1990, according to the state’s Department of Health.

The Seattle school system, which reports more than 53,000 enrolled students, has been reminding families about the new requirement since the start of the school year in CONTINUE READING: Unvaccinated Seattle Students Could Be Barred From School In The New Year | HuffPost