According to the West Virginia Department of Health, families seeking religious exemptions to school vaccination policies are not required to provide detailed explanations of their beliefs.
The Department does not require any extrinsic evidence that the belief system is reasonable, logical, comprehensible, or part of a traditional orthodox religion.
To apply for a religious exemption, families only need to provide basic information, including the student's name, school, parent's name, and mailing address, along with a statement indicating their request for a religious exemption.
The Department of Health considers these applications as a self-evident statement of the sincerity of the families seeking exemptions, as stated in an affidavit by Justin Davis, interim commissioner of the state Department of Public Health.
Author's summary: West Virginia's health agency simplifies religious exemptions for school vaccinations.