[ad_1]
SALT LAKE CITY – Public health officials are concerned that it is only a matter of time before measles arrives in Utah.
The Centers for Disease Control reported that cases have been reported in Nevada, Colorado and Arizona, while Utah is located 680 miles from the nearest homes in Southern California.
According to a state report, nearly two-thirds of Utah's school districts reported higher vaccine exemption rates than those that prevented the spread of measles.
Utah 2018 vaccination coverage report says 5.3% of children entering kindergarten receive waiver of state immunization requirements – 94.7% of children have required vaccinations .
Below the 96% mark, the National Institutes of Health declared that it was necessary to provide a collective immunity against measles – the point where the highly infectious disease can not easily spread between people.
Two of Utah's three most populous school districts have exemption rates above preferential rates.
The Alpine School District reported that 4.8% of its kindergarten children had waived vaccine requirements. The Davis School District reported that 4.1% of its kindergarten children did the same.
Health professionals do not want to see an exemption rate for kindergarten children of more than 4%. The Granite School District, Utah's third largest state in Utah, had only 2.6% vaccine exemptions in its kindergartens.
The school districts with the highest percentage of vaccine exemptions are Piute (15.4%), Kane (13.6%) and North Sanpete (12.6%). These two-digit rates push the immunity percentage of the student herd well below the 96% threshold recommended by health professionals.
Students can go to school if they are not vaccinated and Utah law allows parents to file medical, religious or personal exemptions for vaccine requirements. The state report shows that personal exemptions far outweigh all others, accounting for 93.9% of all exemptions filed.
Students can also go to school if they do not meet the vaccination requirements without exemption. They have 30 days to comply with vaccination standards before being prevented from attending classes.
Related stories
[ad_2]
Source link