Dive Brief:

• The number of student vaccination exemptions is on the decline in Wyoming, according to data from the state's health department.  
• In 2013, 366 students elected not to get vaccinated (in both public and private schools), down from 458 the year prior.  
• In recent years, a trend of parents declining to have their children vaccinated has led many to worry that the rising number of students exempted will lead to future epidemics.  

Dive Insight:

Wyoming is specifically interesting to focus on because it is one of the nation's more religious states. While the decision to block the Next Generation Science Standards had more to do with man-made climate change than religion, there were definitely a number of religious community members who were also happy to see the standards go because they taught evolution.  

Religion is a frequently cited reason why people opt out of vaccines. Of the 366 Wyoming students who declined vaccinations in 2013, only 19 did so for medical reasons — 347 claimed religious reasons. The fact that the number of students opting out of vaccinations is declining is not only a good thing, but indicates that perhaps some of the media attention and articles against this decision have actually been heard.