As a vaccine approaches, I've started thinking about religious exemptions to immunisation- but here's some interesting information: most refusals to vaccinate are PERSONAL, not religious in nature (1)

In the US, 45 states allow for religious reasons for vaccine exemptions, but only 15 allow for personal reasons. In the past ten years, religious exemptions to vaccines have skyrocketed, but people's religious identity has remained the same or has even shrunk. (2)

This together with the fact that no major religious groups explicitly condemn vaccines*, have made researchers conclude that people are merely claiming religious reasons for their own person anti-vax opinions. (3)

Given this, should there be such an easy way to avoid vaccinations? We don't allow personal exemptions to seatbelts, why would we in public health? Should people be able to claim religious reasoning where no such organised reason exists? (4)

*there are few specific groups that do rule out immunisation, most notably the Church of Christ the Scientist, however, this small group only accounts for a minuscule portion of exemptions. (5) Source: https://www.healthline.com/health-news/more-religious-exemptions-for-vaccinations#Religious-exemptions-rising