Fewer Oregon kindergarteners receive school-required vaccines, worrying state health officials

A growing share of Oregon kindergartners is not fully immunized against common childhood diseases. The Oregon Health Authority said Thursday that 8.8% of kindergarten students have at least one nonmedical vaccine exemption, with 86.4% of Oregon kindergartners receiving all of the required vaccines.

According to a presentation last March from Stacy de Assis Matthews, the immunization school law coordinator at OHA’s Oregon Immunization Program, about 650,000 children in the state are covered by vaccine requirements addressing 11 diseases.

OHA officials expressed concern Thursday about the low rates of vaccination, because they could put school children at heightened risk of becoming ill.

Source: Fewer Oregon kindergarteners receive school-required vaccines, worrying state health officials