By Ana Gomez Salcido
Parents of every child enrolled in a public or private kindergarten in California needs to prove that their child’s vaccination record is up to date to be able to attend school starting in the 2016-2017 school year, as a result of a new state law.
Senate Bill 277 went into effect in July, eliminating personal belief exemptions and requiring that all students show proof of having received all the required vaccines before they are allowed in school. The new law exempts students who can not be vaccinated due to medical reasons.
“It is important for all of our students to be up to date because the higher the number of people vaccinated, the less opportunity for infectious disease to spread,” said Karen Waters-Montijo, Chief of the Epidemiology and Immunization Services of the San Diego County. “A measles case can be spread very quickly to unvaccinated people.”
According to County health officials, the number of unvaccinated kindergartners in California will continue to drop because of the new senate bill, continuing the downward trend in place for the last two years.
More than 13,000 kindergartners across the state, approximately 2.4 percent, lacked some or all the recommended vaccines during the 2015-16 school year, about 4,000 fewer than in 2013-14, the highest year on record.
In San Diego, more than 1,600 kindergartners had a personal belief exemption during the 2015-16 school year, a drop of about 400 students from the 2013-14 record year when 4.5 percent of kindergartners did not have some or all the required vaccines.
“The lower the number of unvaccinated students, the less likely it is for disease outbreaks to occur,” said Wilma Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., a public health officer. “When children are not vaccinated, not only are they at increased risk for disease, they can also spread illness to others at school and at home.”
As part of National Immunization Awareness Month in August, the County Health and Human Services Agency is reminding parents to check their children’s immunization records and schedule doctor visits soon to avoid the last minute rush for appointments for vaccines.
Children who are 4 to 6 years of age are due for boosters of four vaccines: DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough), chickenpox, MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) and polio.
Preteens and teens need a Tdap booster shot to protect them against tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also recommends that teens get vaccinated against human papillomavirus and meningococcal disease. A yearly flu vaccine is recommended for all children 6 months and older.
“Vaccines are the most effective tools there are to prevent children from getting sick,” Wooten added.
Parents can obtain the vaccines through their regular medical provider. People with no medical insurance can get vaccinated at a County public health center for little or no cost. Local retail pharmacies also offer some vaccinations for a fee.
“There is no child that can not be vaccinated because of their family income,” Waters-Montijo added.
For more information about required back-to-school vaccines, call the Health and Human Services Agency Immunization Branch at (866) 358-2966, or visit www.sdiz.org.