More Oregon parents withdraw children’s vaccination

Portland, Oregon. (Katu) – An increasing number of Oregon parents choose not to vaccinate their children, according to Oregon Health Authority. The last school year, 9% of kindergarten families asked for exemptions from one or more vaccines required, marking the highest rate ever recorded in the state.

This trend arises while Oregon has faced its greatest measles epidemic since the early 1990s, all reported cases involving unvaccinated individuals. Despite the United States, declaring the measles eliminated in 2000 endemic, imports continued and prolonged epidemics in 2019 threatened the country’s elimination of measles.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highlighted the importance of vaccination, especially before international trips, to prevent imports from measles into American communities. The CDC reported that from January 2020 to March 2024, a total of 338 cases of American measles were documented, 29% occurring in the first quarter of 2024. Almost all cases involved non -vaccinated individuals or those who have a vaccination status unknown.

The CDC and the WHO report that vaccination programs help to remove the burden of early childhood illness, the age group with the greatest death of cases, thus reducing measles mortality.

On February 19 marked the day of exclusion from the Oregon school, when students who have not received the required vaccines or obtained an exemption will be excluded from the school until a resolution is achievement.

Public health officials highlight the need for improved efforts to increase routine vaccination coverage and identify communities at risk of measles transmission to mitigate the risk of generalized epidemics.