School vaccine mandates are
not federal law. Instead, all 50 states and Washington D.C. enact their own individual laws requiring students to be vaccinated against specific contagious diseases to attend public and private schools. [
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While the federal government heavily influences vaccine policy through the
CDC Recommendations, it is the individual states that have the legal authority to mandate them. State-level rules govern which specific vaccines are required, as well as who qualifies for exemptions