VESTAL, NY (WSKG) - With back-to-school season around the corner, the Tompkins County Medical Director is clarifying what qualifies as a medical exemption for vaccines.
Dr. William Klepack said medical exemptions can only be given if a doctor believes there is a true risk to a child’s health. It’s against the law to falsify that record.
"Some parents wish to seek a medical exemption for their child when there are no medical complications present," Klepack said. "The guidelines are clearly written, and the practitioner is limited to the conditions specified."
A new state law signed in June removed non-medical vaccine exemptions for schools. That came after a measles outbreak downstate.
All students attending public, private or parochial school or day care must be fully vaccinated unless they have a medical exemption.