You Lose This One, Measles. The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld West Virginia’s law requiring students to be vaccinated for public school, rejecting a religious exemption challenge. The court determined that the state’s compulsory vaccination law serves the public interest by protecting the health and well-being of school children. This ruling aligns with previous Supreme Court decisions affirming states’ rights to mandate vaccinations for public safety.

• West Virginia is one of five states without religious exemptions to public school vaccine mandates.
• Parents challenged the mandate, citing religious objections related to vaccine cell lines.
• The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the state’s vaccine mandate is a legitimate exercise of power to protect public health.
• The court emphasized that the right to practice religion does not include exposing the community to communicable diseases.
• The decision is seen as a victory for public health, especially in light of recent measles outbreaks nationally.