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A school in North Carolina where a high concentration of families is clamoring for a religious exemption from the vaccine has been facing the most serious epidemic of chickenpox in the state for more than 20 years.
The outbreak of chicken pox affected 36 students at the Asheville Waldorf School, said Buncombe County health officials. The epidemic is one of the largest in North Carolina since the development of a chickenpox vaccine more than 20 years ago, the Asheville Citizen Time reports.
According to data from the North Carolina Department of Health and Social Services, the Asheville Waldorf School has one of the highest rates among families who choose not to be vaccinated because of their religious beliefs. Of the 28 children enrolled in kindergarten at school during the 2017-2018 school year, about 19 applied for a religious exemption from vaccines – a higher exemption rate than any other other schools in the state except two, according to the Citizen. Time.
Dr. Jennifer Mullendore, Buncombe County Medical Director, has linked widespread varicella update with poor immunization outcomes.
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"We want to be clear: vaccination is the best protection against chickenpox," Mullendore said in a statement. "Two doses of varicella vaccine can offer significant protection against chickenpox and shingles in adulthood. When we see a high number of unvaccinated children and adults, we know that a disease like chickenpox can spread easily throughout the community – in our playgrounds, our grocery stores and our sports teams. "
While North Carolina requires vaccinations for all kindergarten students, including the two-dose varicella vaccine, it provides for medical and religious exemptions. Parents who wish to apply for religious exemptions for their children should describe their religious objection to vaccination in a written statement addressed to a school or other child care program, instead of a vaccination booklet. .
A statement from Asheville Waldorf said the school meets the requirements for vaccination.
"Our school strictly adheres to the vaccination requirements put in place by the North Carolina State Board of Education. As an associate member of the Waldorf School Association of North America and, like all other Waldorf schools, we respect national, regional and local laws, "the statement said. "We also recognize that a parent's decision to immunize their children comes before they enter school. At Asheville Waldorf School, we support our families, we love our students, our city and we are grateful for the strength of our community in these difficult times. "
School officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The outbreak of chickenpox occurs as the number of unvaccinated children increases surprisingly. The anti-vaccination sentiment has taken hold in some communities in recent years, fueled by the myth that vaccines are linked to an increase in autism rates that goes back to a 1998 study now denied and retracted. Despite evidence that vaccination is an effective means of protection against diseases such as chickenpox, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported this year that the percentage of children without vaccination less than 2 years old has quadrupled since 2001.
The CDC also found an overall increase in exemption rates for kindergarten children, with Oregon holding the highest median rate.
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