State Senate bills seek to allow religious, philosophical exemptions for vaccinating children

Four years ago, Mary Esther Elam's son, Cole, was battling for his life against cancer.

The disease severely weakened his immune system, and Elam said the family relied on "herd immunity" while he was sick.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, herd immunity, or community immunity, is the concept that a high enough percentage of a population being protected from a disease -- often through immunization via vaccines -- can reduce the spread of that disease and, in turn, protect members of the population who cannot be immunized.

Herd immunity is a concept that's often raised in debates about the importance of vaccination. Elam, who is a nurse at Henderson-Ward Stewart Elementary School in Starkville, said her firsthand experience with its importance was eye-opening.

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