Vaccine Exemptions and Vaccination Coverage in the United States

Abstract

The creation of vaccines at the end of the 1700s has been one of the leading scientific advancements to improve public health. Diseases like smallpox and polio that once plagued humanity with devastating long-term health effects have been eradicated in most countries through the adoption of vaccines. However, despite developments in vaccines, the US has seen a decline in vaccination coverage in recent decades. This could be due to the presence of exemptions to vaccines that help prevent said outbreaks. In the United States there are three available exemptions to vaccination: medical, religious, and personal/philosophical.