The number of religious exemptions from vaccines for Massachusetts school children has been steadily climbing since 2020, reaching an all time high in 2024-25.
This multiplatform series from GBH News, NEPM and CAI reports on the increasing vulnerability of Massachusetts residents to vaccine-preventable diseases like measles and whooping cough.
These Massachusetts parents sought religious exemptions to vaccines. We asked them why.
The reasons are deeply nuanced and varied, meaning the exemption covers a wide variety of circumstances.
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3 Northeast states banned religious exemptions for vaccines. What about Massachusetts?
State law dictates how public schools approach vaccines. Proposed legislation in the Bay State would prevent parents from claiming religion as a reason for skipping vaccination. -
What’s leading Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket parents to bypass vaccines?
Health experts say vaccine skepticism has long been a feature of both islands, setting the stage for highly contagious diseases like measles to potentially find a foothold.
