Wednesday, February 15th, is the deadline for parents to have their school aged kids vaccinated without being sent home from school. Parents of children with missing immunizations should have received a letter with instructions on how to fulfill school vaccine requirements. Oregon Health Authority’s Stacy de Assis Matthews says it's important that children are up to date on their vaccines.
“Vaccinations are one of the most important and effective ways you can protect your child,” says Matthews. “The goal of Oregon’s Immunization Law is to make sure kids can go to school in a safe and healthy environment that’s free of vaccine preventable diseases.”
Parents can request an exemption to the immunization requirements from their health care providers. According to Matthews, Oregon’s exemption rate is high compared to the rest of the Nation’s at 5.8 percent.
Lane County Health and Human Service’s Jason Davis says adults should check their vaccination status as well. Vaccination and exemption rates are used to determine the health of the county compared to the rest of the state and the nation.
To find an immunization center near you, call 211 or make an appointment at one of Lane County Public Health’s office locations.