To access the school vaccine religious exemption form online, please review the information below, then click “next” to be taken to the exemption form.

Information About Childhood Vaccines

Vaccines are one of the best ways to reduce the spread of disease and keep kids healthy. Choosing to vaccinate your child protects them from illness and prevents disease spread in our communities. Vaccines train the immune system to recognize and fight infections to keep your child healthy. This protection can last a long time, sometimes for life.

Your Child Faces Higher Risk Without Vaccines

• Even in South Carolina, there are over 100 vaccine-preventable outbreaks of infectious diseases like chickenpox and whooping cough each year. Many occur in schools and childcare centers.
• Unvaccinated children are more likely to get sick and, in some cases, suffer serious complications causing hospitalization or even death.
• Vaccines protect against unexpected exposures to germs in the environment, or exposure to an infected person spreading germs before they show signs of illness.
• South Carolina school vaccine entry requirements seek to protect children from 12 different diseases that can cause pneumonia and other respiratory infections, meningitis, hepatitis (liver disease), and neurologic diseases. Some examples include:
  • Whooping Cough: Can cause brain damage or death, especially in babies.
  • Measles: Very contagious and can cause pneumonia, brain infection, and seizures. About 1 in 5 unvaccinated people in the U.S. who get measles is hospitalized and 2-3 per 1,000 will die.
  • Chickenpox: Once caused about 100 deaths a year in healthy kids — now with the vaccine there are fewer than 10.
  • Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type B): Can cause life-threatening meningitis.

Vaccines are Effective

• Over 90% of those who are unvaccinated and exposed to measles will get measles. For those who are fully vaccinated, the rate is 3%.
• Polio, which used to cause lifelong paralysis in some children, has been essentially eliminated in the US by the polio vaccine which is 99-100% effective.

Unvaccinated Children Can Put Others at Risk

Children who aren’t vaccinated are at higher risk of becoming ill and infecting others, including:

• Babies too young to be vaccinated
• People with medical conditions who can’t get vaccines
• People at higher risk of complications like the elderly and pregnant women

Vaccine Safety

Vaccines are safe for most kids. The most common side effects are mild like a sore arm or fever. Serious side effects may include allergic reactions, seizures or neurologic conditions. Serious problems from vaccines are extremely rare — much rarer than the complications from the diseases vaccines prevent. Multiple studies have shown the vaccines do not cause autism.

Impact on Your Family

Even if they have an exemption, if your child isn’t vaccinated and is exposed to a disease:

• Whether they get sick or not they will need to stay home from school, daycare, and activities until DPH officials say it is safe to return. Visit dph.sc.gov/schoolexclusion to learn more.
• You may need to miss work to care for them.
• They’ll need to catch up on missed schoolwork.

Be Prepared — Protect Your Family and Community

Diseases prevented by vaccines can show up anytime. Delaying or skipping vaccines puts your child and others at risk. Talk with your doctor to make the best decision for your family. 

More info: South Carolina Vaccine Requirements or visit dph.sc.gov/health-wellness/child-teen-health/vaccine-requirements-info