School is starting soon and that means it’s time to check vaccinations statuses. In Ohio, there are certain vaccinations required for children to attend school.
Ohio Department of Health director Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff says there are a few exceptions to these vaccinations, but lists what is required.
“The Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus vaccine, Hepatitis B, MMR, meningococcal, polio, chicken pox vaccines.”
Over the past year, there has been a decline in kindergarteners who meet all vaccine requirements. He strongly recommends that parents reach out to their children’s healthcare provider to see if they are up to date with their immunizations.
“We have equally effective vaccines for so many preventable diseases now. Nevertheless, over the past several years vaccinations rates have been slipping both in Ohio and nationwide.”
There is a current outbreak of measles in Northeast Ohio. All 15 cases are from people who are unvaccinated or have no documentation of vaccination.
He says the declining rates threaten the protection that vaccines give us against deadly diseases.
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