The recent measles outbreak has shown how vulnerable our children and communities have become because of exemptions to vaccine requirements. Pennsylvania now has the 2nd lowest measles vaccination rate for kids in kindergarten in the country. Vaccines protect our kids - but only when everyone who can be vaccinated, gets vaccinated.

We need to put an end to the "philosophical" exemption that lets some parents rely on herd immunity to protect their own kids while putting other families at risk. We all have an obligation to protect the most vulnerable in our communities, especially children who can't vaccinate for valid medical reasons.