Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg is under fire after his campaign told BuzzFeed News that he supports some exemptions from vaccinations based on personal and religious beliefs.
“The law of the land for more than a century has been that states may enforce mandatory vaccination for public safety to prevent the spread of a dangerous disease. Pete does support some exceptions, except during a public health emergency to prevent an outbreak,” a spokesperson for the South Bend, Ind., mayor told the outlet.
Buttigieg’s representative said he supports medical exemptions as well as personal belief and religious exemptions granted the state is not facing a public health crisis.
“These exemptions include medical exemptions in all cases (as in cases where it is unsafe for the individual to get vaccinated), and personal/religious exemptions if states can maintain local herd immunity and there is no public health crisis,” the spokesperson said.
After an outcry, Buttigieg’s campaign added a “clarifying statement” on Wednesday morning, saying the candidate only supports medical exemptions. – READ MORE