Michigan’s Vaccine Waiver Surge | Grand Rapids News

Michigan hit a 12-year high in vaccine waivers for school kids last year, with 6.2% of students not fully immunized — up from 3.4% in 2020. Most exemptions are philosophical (58%) or religious (40%), reflecting a growing trend away from medical justifications. As measles cases surge to a 35-year high — mostly among unvaccinated children — the state’s flexible waiver policies are putting community immunity at risk, especially for infants and immunocompromised individuals. Public health officials warn that when vaccines become politicized and misinformation spreads, the result is preventable disease outbreaks — a stark reminder that protecting public health requires collective trust in science. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/7522cd3b3b4ffcbc