I have recently been made aware of this effort to mandate vaccinations and remove religious exemptions.  This is an offensive idea in the state of Virginia.  Virginia has a long history of supporting religious freedom and the removal of religious exemptions would be a direct insult to our history.  In reality, religious exemptions make up 5% or less of school situations.  If the numbers being cited as required for "herd immunity" by the CDC and other noted medical professionals are accurate, the number of religious exemptions wouldn't even come CLOSE to disrupting the ongoing recovery efforts.  Even if there was a three-fold increase in the number of religious exemptions, we would still have achieved "herd immunity."  Religious exemptions must continue to be protected in Virginia.  The people who are convicted to exercise their right to those exemptions are so miniscule in number they present no significant health threat to society.  Please protect religious exemptions and the rights of the small minority who exercise their right to those exemptions.  Thank you.