High vaccination rates help protect communities

Low vaccination rates are creating 'pockets' of health risks

Following the Disneyland Measles outbreak, more and more U.S. parents are vaccinating their children. Despite the increased number of "vaccinators," "anti-vaccers" pose a public health risk.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released information stating 1.7 percent of U.S. parents wanted their kindergartners exempt from laws requiring children to be up-to-date with their vaccinations.

1.7 percent sounds small, but the rates vary nationwide with one state reporting over 6 percent of kindergarten parents seeking exemption.

Dr. Anne Schuchat, director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, was present at a media briefing, stating, "Pockets of children who miss vaccinations exist in our communities and they leave these communities vulnerable to outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases."

Lawmakers across the nation are attempting to change exception rules, particularly after the measles outbreak at Disneyland and California Adventure in Anaheim, California which affected over 100 people.

Dr. Schuchat references the measles case by saying, "We were lucky in the U.S. We didn't see large outbreaks in schools because of a big pocket of under-vaccinated people.

When people are vaccinated, they provide what is called "herd immunity," meaning children too young and people too elderly, sick or with compromised immune systems are not at risk of contracting a disease they are unable to be vaccinated from.

Each state allows exemptions in special cases, but requires a schedule of vaccines children must have before they can be enrolled in school. Every state but Mississippi and West Virginia allow exemptions for religious purposes.

Idaho reported the highest rates of vaccine exemptions at 6.5 percent while Mississippi reported the lowest rates at 0.1 percent.

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