More parents are opting out of school shots for their kids. An Associated Press analysis found that in eight states. not including North Carolina, more than 1 in 20 public school kindergartners aren't getting all the vaccines required for attendance.
That's because more parents are seeking exemptions so their kids can skip some of the shots. Health officials are worried there could be outbreaks of diseases like measles and whooping cough.
The AP found more than half of states have seen at least a slight rise in the rate of vaccine exemptions in the past five years. States with the highest exemption rates are in the West and Upper Midwest: Alaska, Kansas, Hawaii, Illinois, Michigan, Montana, Oregon, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin. Alaska has the highest opt-out rate at 9 percent.
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