Currently, New Hampshire requires that all schoolchildren receive immunizations for 7 illnesses, but parents may apply for an exemption if a physician certifies the immunization could be detrimental to the child's health, or if parents or guardians object for religious reasons.
However, twenty states also allow parents to exempt their children from vaccinations based on non-religious, personal objections like particular morals or philosophical beliefs.
Those in favor of allowing such exemptions hold that parents should not be forced to immunize their children if it would compromise personal or philosophical beliefs.
Those opposed argue that allowing such exemptions risks compromising "herd immunity" which protects those children who are unable to receive vaccinations for medical reasons, and suggest for some diseases like measles that 90-95% of the population be vaccinated.
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