Anti-vaccine bills pop up across the US ahead of RFK Jr’s confirmation hearing
Anti-vaccine bills pop up across the US ahead of RFK Jr’s confirmation hearing
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Vaccination rates against dangerous childhood infections like measles and polio continue to fall nationwide. Bills challenging vaccine mandates have popped up in more than 15 states, with sceptic lawmakers emboldened by President Donald Trump’s return to the White House and RFK Jr.’s nomination as health secretary.
![[Some believe that Trump’s nomination of RFK Jr was opened the door for more religious challenges.]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/16/13/GettyImages-2192495833.jpg)
Lawmakers aim to potentially resurrect or create new religious exemptions from immunization mandates, establish state-level vaccine injury databases or dictate what providers must tell patients about the shots. However, experts worry he could have a significant impact on childhoold immunization policies, at a time when the vaccination rates against dangerous childhood infections like measles and polio continue to fall nationwide. The number of parents claiming non-medical exemptions so their kids don't get required shots is rising.
![[Most states are below the 95% vaccination threshold for kindergartners — the level needed to protect communities against measles outbreaks.]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/17/09/28113834-45ff2937-ecb3-4ac7-a1ce-8fa602afe77d.jpg)
In 2024, whooping cough cases reached a decade-high and 16 measles outbreaks, the largest among them in Chicago and Minnesota, put health officials on edge. Most states are below the 95% vaccination threshold for kindergartners — the level needed to protect communities against measles outbreaks.
About half of Americans are "very" or "extremely" concerned that those declining childhood vaccination rates will lead to more outbreaks, according to a new poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Yet only about 4 in 10 Americans oppose reconsidering the government's recommendations for widely used vaccines, while roughly 3 in 10 are in favor. The rest — about 3 in 10 — are neutral.
