TWIN FALLS, Idaho — 81% of Idaho kids were vaccinated before the start of school in 2022. To prevent serious diseases like measles and mumps, the CDC would love to Idaho parents to vaccinate their kids.
- According to the CDC, the national average for vaccination before the start of school was 93%. Idaho is well below that number with 81%.
- A round of vaccinations for polio, diphtheria, measles, mumps,and other is needed to start kindergarten.
- Another round is needed in middle school, and another before leaving high school.
- The Idaho legislature passed a new law requiring schools to provide parents clear information on how to obtain vaccination exemptions.
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
“We are worried about the kiddos in Idaho,” CDC Director Mandy Cohen told Idaho News 6.
In 2022, eighty-one percent of Idaho kids were vaccinated before the start of school year. Cohen tells me that's well below the national average.
"Overall in the nation, about 93-94% of kids entering kindergarten are up-to-date on their vaccines,” cohen said.
Idaho schools require incoming kids to vaccinated - for example - kindergarteners need shots for measles, mumps, chickenpox, polio, etc. But ... there's a problem.
“We're seeing more kids file for those exemptions for vaccines,” Cohen said. “But we want to make sure we're answering questions of vaccines, making sure folks know it is the best defense you can get.”
Measles was declared eradicated in 2000, but the CDCworries a decrease in vaccinations could weaken herd immunity, giving the disease a chance to return
I told Cohen that, having been raised in the ‘80s, I’d never met anyone my age who had polio or who had measles. I wanted to know what the prospects for those diseases making a combeack.
“Well, I'm also a primary care doctor, and I'm lucky enough to have never treated a patient with polio, but we know how serious it is because we see it around the world.,” Cohen said. “But as we get to lower levels like we're seeing in Idaho, that's when these diseases can creep back in.”
“When a parent comes in to register their child for kindergarten they're going to get that information about the required immunizations,” Twin Falls School District’s Eva Craner told Idaho News 6. “And if they don't want to do that, here's the form that you can fill out to exempt your child as well.”
Craner tells me the district's policies are not unique, the laws set by legislature, and in recent years have required parents be informed on how to obtain an exemption
The district requires either vaccination records or an exemption for a child to attend school
"We want to know what's happening with our school, in the event that there is an outbreak, so that we can support community health and make sure that we're keeping our learning environment as healthy as possible,” Craner said.
Director Cohen said she has appointments for her daughters to get their vaccinations next week
“I wouldn't recommend something for folks in Idaho that i wouldn't do for my own kiddos,” Cohen said.
