Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont signed into law on Wednesday a bill that ends religious exemptions from mandatory school vaccinations in the state. Medical exemptions from immunizations remain in effect.
“Serious illnesses that have been well-controlled for many decades, such as measles, tuberculosis, and whooping cough... have reemerged,” Lamont said in a statement.
“The number of children in our state who have not received routine vaccinations has been steadily increasing, which has been mirrored by significant growth in preventable diseases across the nation,” he continued.
Parents may still choose not to vaccinate their children on medical grounds, but the “bill best ensures that other children and their families will not be exposed to these deadly diseases for hours each day in our schools,” Lamont said.