Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Parts of Normal Neighborhood Plan approved ... Pacific fisher sculpture dedicated in Ashland ... Techtoberfest has high-tech speakers and exhibits ... Parts of Normal Neighborhood Plan approved ... Pacific fisher sculpture dedicated in Ashland ... Techtoberfest has high-tech speakers and exhibits ... EDUCATION More kindergartners vaccinated in 2015 Comment By Teresa Thomas Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Teresa Thomas Mail Tribune Posted May. 1, 2015 at 6:36 PM By Teresa Thomas Mail Tribune Posted May. 1, 2015 at 6:36 PM » Social News This year, for the first time in nearly two decades, Oregon saw a decrease — 17 percent — in the number of parents claiming nonmedical vaccination exemptions for their kindergartners. And in Jackson County, 167, or 7.1 percent, of kindergartners currently have nonmedical exemptions from one or more state-mandated vaccines, compared with 204, or 8.5 percent, of kindergartners in 2014. That works out to about a 16 percent decline, said Stacy de Assis Matthews, who coordinates the Oregon Immunization Program. Public health officials say the decrease can be owed, at least in part, to more stringent legislation, namely Senate Bill 132, which went into effect March 2014 and requires parents to either meet with a health care provider or watch an educational video about immunizations before declaring their child exempt. Previously, claiming a nonmedical exemption was as simple as checking a box and signing a form. “We don’t track the reasons why parents who are considering a nonmedical exemption do or don’t get their child vaccinated,” Matthews said. “But we do know there was a major change to the law that required a new process for parents receiving a nonmedical exemption.” Matthews also thinks increased media attention on vaccines played a part. State law requires that all children 18 months or older attending a public or private school, preschool, childcare facility or Head Start program be vaccinated against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox and hepatitis. Last year, Oregon had the highest percentage of kindergartners claiming nonmedical exemptions of any state in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That percentage has since dropped from 7 percent in 2014 to 5.8 percent this year, but health officials won’t know until August, when the CDC releases its next report, how Oregon’s kindergarten exemption rate compares with other states’, Matthews said. In the meantime, Oregon Health Authority is compiling data from each school and will publish this information in June. On Friday, only the Eagle Point School District had exemption rates readily available for all of its schools. Currently, 2.6 percent of Eagle Point students are claiming nonmedical exemptions, said Tiffanie Lambert, the district’s director of student services. Lambert said that although the district had a slight drop in the number of parents claiming exemptions this year, there were more parents who waited until the last minute to get their children vaccinated. Reach education reporter Teresa Thomas at 541-776-4497 or [email protected] . Follow her at www.twitter.com/teresathomas _mt . By Teresa Thomas Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Teresa Thomas Mail Tribune Posted May. 1, 2015 at 6:36 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501