Idaho is being labeled as an anti-vaccination hot spot. That's according to PLOS Medicine, a peer-reviewed journal.
A study, published in the journal, shows eight Idaho counties rank in the nation's top 10 for kindergarteners opting out of vaccinations.
State law allows parents to not have their children vaccinated for medical, religious or philosophical reasons. The number-one opt-out county in the nation is Camas County where 26.7 percent of students coming into school are not immunized.
Valley and Boise counties also checked in, ranking third and seventh nationally. In Idaho, schools have no say over the issue of vaccinations until there is an outbreak.
"If there is an outbreak like that, the school administrators have the right to say, 'We are not going to allow that child to come to school until this outbreak has passed'," said Kevin Richert, reporter with Idaho Education News.
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare encourages vaccinations. Parents can opt out by filling out a short, two-page form located on the Health and Welfare website.
