States Revise Child Care Vaccination Religious Exemptions

Munchkin Land Daycare and the Vaccination Policy

Located near Billings, Montana, the Munchkin Land Daycare is home to many children with special needs or compromised immune systems. The children, aged between 4 months to 9 years, encounter conditions such as fetal alcohol syndrome, cystic fibrosis, and Down syndrome. The owner, Sheryl Hutzenbiler, ensures a safe and healthy environment for these children, particularly by implementing a robust vaccination policy. This policy is crucial to protect those who are immunocompromised or too young for the full range of childhood vaccines.

The Threat of Religious Exemptions

The recent proposal to let daycare facilities allow religious exemptions for immunization requirements is a cause for concern. Such exemptions could jeopardize community immunity, critical for defending against infectious diseases like measles and pertussis. Hutzenbiler is relieved, however, as Munchkin Land Daycare could still choose whether to accept unvaccinated children under the proposed rules.

Currently, Montana, like 44 other states, permits religious exemptions from immunization for school-age children. Extending this policy to daycare facilities would make Montana the second state this year to add a religious exemption for younger children, following a similar move by Mississippi.

Impact on Community Immunity

Extending religious exemption to daycare facilities could lead to a decrease in community immunity levels. Health professionals warn that such exemptions could result in an increase in unvaccinated individuals, potentially leading to more disease outbreaks, especially among children.

Associate Professor Sophia Newcomer at the University of Montana School of Public and Community Health Sciences warns that the risk of disease outbreaks could also rise within the wider community. According to the WHO, a community is protected from diseases such as measles if 95% of the population is vaccinated.

Concerns Over Religious Exemptions

The legitimacy of religious exemptions is often questioned. A 2013 scientific review published in the journal Vaccine found that most religions, including many Christian denominations, do not oppose vaccination. The American Academy of Pediatrics advocates for the elimination of all nonmedical exemptions, including religious exemptions.

The Future for Munchkin Land Daycare

Montana’s proposed rule is set to be discussed at a public hearing. Hutzenbiler, along with other child care providers, anticipates the rule to come into effect eventually. She is already preparing to submit language to the state stating that Munchkin Land Daycare will not accept unvaccinated children even if religious exemptions are allowed.