DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWQC) - Florida is ending its mandates for childhood vaccines, sparking worry in the medical community about the risks of disease outbreaks.

They are still required in both Iowa and Illinois, but there’s a growing number of parents who aren’t vaccinating their kids.

Both states allow exemptions for mandated vaccines. They require a doctor’s note or a sincerely held religious belief.

In Illinois, parents wanting a religious exemption are required to receive counseling about the medical benefits vaccines provide.

According to the CDC , exemptions for kindergartners in Illinois have increased 65% over the past five years of available data. Iowa’s exemption rate is up 77%.

The mandates in Iowa and Illinois cover a host of diseases, including polio, measles, diphthe

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