As schools gear up for a new academic year, Washington County Public Health is urging parents to double-check their kids' vaccine records. With whooping cough incidents picking up in the spring and measles cases popping up this summer, it's crunch time for families to get ahead of vaccine-preventable diseases. According to recently released information, now is as good a time as any for parents to update their children's immunization status.
Health Officer Dr. Christina Baumann highlighted the urgency, saying, "Getting the latest vaccines helps your children build their bodies’ immunity against viruses and bacteria that bring contagious disease like whooping cough, measles and chicken pox." Baumann's statement underlines, unintentionally, a pressing concern that vaccinating children protects not just the individual child but also bolsters community immunity. Oregon Immunization Program data shows approximately 97% of K-12 students in the county were vaccinated across eight major categories last school year. But, achieving 'herd immunity' varies by disease and can be compromised in small spaces like schools even with only a few unvaccinated children.
The legal side of this issue is clear: students need to be vaccinated according to their age or grade to attend school. If vaccines aren't up to date, kids may face exclusion during School Exclusion Day come mid-February 2025, or if there's an outbreak of a preventable disease. With that said, schools play a role that cannot be understated here – they can send students home in the absence of compliance with state vaccine laws.
Parents looking for immunization services can turn to school-based health centers (SBHCs) across the county. Contact information is readily available for facilities including Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center SBHCs and Neighborhood Health Centers SBHCs. With the county joining forces with Multnomah and Clackamas for Ukrainian Day, additional resources will be at hand on Aug. 24-25 at Westmoreland Park to assist not just with vaccinations but also to celebrate Ukrainian culture. Those lacking insurance or a primary doctor can reach out to the Health Care Resource Line at 503-846-8851 for guidance on clinic locations.
