On January 14, West Virginia’s governor issued an executive order permitting religious exemptions for school vaccinations. The state was one of only five states to prohibit all nonmedical exemptions and currently has the highest childhood immunization rates in the country. The governor cited a 2023 law that prohibits excessive government restrictions on religious practices as the basis for the order. Health officials and health care providers expressed concern that the exemptions could make the state more vulnerable to vaccine-preventable outbreaks. Some social media users criticized the decision as “ignorant” and dangerous to the children in West Virginia, while others celebrated the decision as “great news” and “moving in the right direction.” A lawyer who is known for suing states over vaccine requirements—and who made headlines for previously petitioning the FDA to withdraw approval of the polio vaccine—called for other states to follow suit.
Recommendation
The West Virginia executive order allowing exemptions from school vaccinations on “religious” grounds is an example of policy and rhetoric that may weaken public trust in routine vaccines. Messaging may highlight research showing that higher rates of nonmedical exemptions are associated with lower immunization and a higher risk of outbreaks. Messaging may also emphasize that school immunization requirements keep children safe and reduce the risk of vaccine-preventable outbreaks. Explaining that every major religion supports the use of vaccines is also recommended.
