Oregon Health Authority reports highest nonmedical vaccine exemptions among kindergartners

For the 2022-2023 school year, Idaho was the only state with a higher exemption rate than Oregon.

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Oregon health officials have expressed concerns over the state’s record-high rate of kindergartners with non-medical exemptions for vaccinations.

On Thursday, the Oregon Health Authority reported that 8.8% of kindergarten students received non-medical exemptions for at least one required vaccine during the 2023-2024 school year — an all-time peak for the state.

But according to a November report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the 2022-2023 school year had the highest exemption rate nationwide at 3%.

About 8.1% of Oregon kindergartners had nonmedical exemptions that year. Idaho was the only state with a higher rate, at 12.1%.

Stacy de Assis Matthews, the Oregon Immunization Program’s immunization school law coordinator, told OHA a “well-immunized community” is the best way to slow the spread of preventable diseases and protect residents who can’t be vaccinated due to age or medical condition.

She cited the measles, which had 132 cases across the U.S. as of May 9. About 44% of those cases affected people under the age of 5, and 81% of cases included people who weren’t vaccinated against the contagious disease.

The measles, mumbles and rubella vaccine is about 93% effective against the measles, according to the CDC. It is also one of the several vaccines that state law requires K-12 students to receive before the school year.

“School immunization laws help make sure kids can go to school in a safe and healthy environment free of vaccine-preventable diseases,” Matthews said. “These laws help support OHA’s goal of eliminating health disparities by 2030 by making sure each child’s immunization record is checked annually, and any child who is behind can be brought up to date on vaccines every year.”

The state also requires immunization against Hepatitis A and B, polio, chickenpox, diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, also known as the whooping cough.