Should Parents Be Allowed To Refuse Vaccinations For Their Children [Poll]

The rate that children in Michigan are getting vaccinated is declining as more parents are choosing to not get their children vaccinated.

Michigan's rate of vaccination refusal is the fourth highest in the country.

Should parents be allowed to refuse vaccinations for their children?

There are a variety of reasons more parents are refusing vaccinations for their children: misinformation, religion, and philosophical reasons.

WZZM13.com reports on the increase:

About 7,300, or 5.5 percent, of the state's roughly 125,000 kindergartners had medical, religious or philosophical waivers on file last school year. That's up from about 6,900 the year before and 5,700 in 2010-11.

Three in four of the exemptions were for philosophical reasons.

Refusal of vaccinations can lead to dangerous and deadly situations, but some want to make sure parents don't lose the right to refuse to vaccinate their children. Michigan Opposing Mandatory Vaccines says:

We don’t oppose vaccines - we oppose mandatory vaccines. While the distinction may sound subtle, it points to the core of our concern - that all citizens should have the right to make their own health care choices. Michigan is one of only 17 states that continue to support the right of parents and individuals to make their own vaccination choices, though that right is under constant attack.

The risk of refusing a vaccination is great, but who should have the final say on whether a child is vaccinated? Parents or government?

Review of list of required vaccinations in Michigan. 

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