Parents’ Choices Lead to Children’s Increased Vulnerability to Contract Certain Preventable Diseases

TBE-vaccination hos Apotek Hjärtat” by Apotek Hjartat licensed under CC BY 2.0

Source: Washington Post

The risk of getting certain diseases that are preventable by vaccination is higher for children in certain areas of the country, where an increased number of caretakers are opting out of vaccinations. Children are least 35 times more likely to get a preventable disease when they are not vaccinated.

A recent report found that a growing number of children in kindergarten are going to school without vaccinations because their parents choose to opt out. Currently, 18 states allow parents to opt out for “non-medical reasons,” such as religion, as reported by the Washington Post.

The report published in PLOS Medicine identified a number of target areas that have the greatest number of children without vaccinations that are typically required for students. Idaho was found to have 8 of the top areas with the most exemptions, and many other rural areas as well. Seattle, Utah, Portland and Texas were also at the top of the list.

Children in these areas were identified to be at higher risk simply because their parents are opting out of vaccines that could help them avoid common diseases.

In the past, low vaccinations for children have led to major outbreaks, such as in California back in 2015. Soon after, California banned non-medical exemptions.

Read Full Story: Washington Post

Children & Families, Health, News
Children & Families, Health, News