Measles, an extremely contagious and potentially dangerous disease, continues to spread in the US, with more than 700 cases so far this year in outbreaks that public health officials say are driven by communities refusing vaccines based on misinformation and conspiracies.
Across the country, local leaders have struggled to gain the upper hand against new measles infections — now the worst in decades — and which experts believe will become a new normal. Lawmakers in several states are considering who should be exempt from vaccine mandates: Should religious or personal belief exemptions be allowed in addition to medical ones? Should debunked fears that vaccines cause autism result in medical exemptions?
With this in mind, BuzzFeed News asked each 2020 presidential candidate to lay out their stance on vaccines.
