Patricia Doxsey is reporting in the Daily Freeman Columbia and Ulster counties are two of six counties among the 57 located outside of New York City with vaccination compliance rates for school-age children below 95 percent. According to the report issued Thu., Aug. 25, by the New York State Comptroller's Office, during the 2014-15 school year, the compliance rate in both counties was 94 percent. Dutchess and Greene counties each had a 98 percent compliance rate among students attending school. According to the report, higher than average vaccination exemption rates contributed to the below-average immunization rates in the counties that missed the 95 percent threshold. In Columbia County, the exemption rate was 3 percent, in Ulster County, 2 percent. Greene County's exemption rate was 1.2 percent. State law requires all children be vaccinated against a variety of communicable diseases, including measles, before entering school. However, the law allows for exemptions for medical and religious reasons. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.