With a rather disquieting increase being reported in the number of measles cases in Florida, local health officials are requesting parents to ensure that their kids are up to date on their vaccinations before the new school year commences.

According to the health officials, it has fast become a growing trend that most of the children skipped the vaccine because their parents gave them the exemption on religious grounds --- with religious objections to vaccinations largely stemming from the fact that some vaccines are derived or tested using stem cells from unborn fetuses.

Moreover, as per the findings of a UK-published discredited study, the vaccine’s speculated linked to autism also prevents parents from getting their children vaccinated.

Further noting that, statewide, nearly 2,500 kindergartners were exempted from the vaccine during the 2010-11 school year, the health officials said that it is a matter of concern that seven measles cases have been reported this year – making it the highest figure for measles case in Florida during the last 14 years – and six of these cases involved an unvaccinated child aged 16 or younger.

With the measles virus continuing to be a serious health matter in countries that have limited or no vaccination programs, William Heymann - medical executive director of the Sarasota County Health Department – said that vaccination is a public health issue; and if the majority of people remain unvaccinated, measles can “spread among the population.”