The Buckingham

When time comes for kids to start school, there are certain requirements that need to be met.  One of those requirements is for the newly enrolled student to be properly vaccinated.  Of course, there is an opt out option for those with certain religious views, medical conditions, and even philosophical reasons in some states.

These days more and more parents are opting to exempt their kids from vaccines prior to enrollment in a school.  The statistics show more than 1 in 20 kindergarteners attending public school are going in only partially vaccinated.  That’s not to say the 90 percent rate of those going in vaccinated isn’t high enough, but some officials worry about schools pushing the 5 percent threshold of students without vaccinations.

Parents’ reasons for skipping school shots are scattered across the board.  Some don’t believe all the shots are necessary.  Many others feel the vaccines carry higher risk than the contraction of the diseases themselves.  Still others just find it a hassle to get all the paperwork done for getting vaccines and just opt out for the sake of ease.

One of the most concerning aspects is the amount of shots kids need before they turn 6.  The number of vaccines needed is rising every year and this makes many parents uneasy.  Mothers and fathers across the country don’t feel safe giving their kids that many shots in such a short period of time because they do not know the extensive effects yet of what could happen.

Health officials do not believe the fall in vaccination will cause an epidemic or outbreak of some sort, but they do caution it is not impossible.  It is unlikely diseases like polio will run rampant in the United States again, but with China’s recent outbreak after two decades without the illness, doctors are not shutting the notion down.