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Jan 12, 2009 1:21 pm US/Central
Vaccine Concerns Prompt Exemptions
More Parents Questioning Vaccine Safety
ASHLAND, Ore. (AP) ―
According to the Centers for Disease Control, more and more parents are opting not to have their children vaccinated.
In Ashland, Ore., a record number of children -- nearly 30 percent -- are enrolling in school, without their vaccines.
In this free-spirited, unconventional small town, parents fear the vaccines will do more harm than good.
"There's concern that vaccines cause autism. Some people still think there is still significant mercury in the vaccines," health department official Jim Shames said.
Nationally, there is a budding movement of parents who are getting exemptions from laws requiring children to get vaccinated before attending school.
The exemptions are one explanation the CDC gives for a spike in measles cases. The government recommends as many as 10 vaccines before a child is 6, plus boosters along the way.
By law, parents in Texas can exempt their children from vaccination requirements or day care, school and college.
Among some of the frequent exemptions are religious beliefs and medical reasons.
In 2007, Texas ranked 22nd for vaccinations.
Click here to learn more about the
state's exemption program and here for the
childhood vaccines timeline.
(© 2010 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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