Opportunity for families to ensure that their vaccinations are up to date before school starts.

MADISON – This fall, nearly a million students across Wisconsin will be returning to the classroom. One of the best things we can do to prepare our students for the school year is to encourage a better understanding of vaccinations, and their role in public health.

August is National Immunization Awareness Month, and is an opportunity for families to connect with their healthcare providers to ensure that their vaccinations are up to date before school starts. Immunizations protect children from infectious diseases, and in Wisconsin, state law requires K-12 students to receive certain immunizations to prevent the spreading of viruses and diseases that have long been eradicated.

Tuesday, Representative Gordon Hintz (D-Oshkosh) introduced a bipartisan Assembly Joint Resolution honoring August as Immunization Awareness Month, and released the following statement:

“Whether you’re heading to the first day of kindergarten or the first day of college, vaccines are the most effective means of protecting children and adults from the spread of infectious diseases. Forgoing vaccinations for the school year puts others at risk. The fact is, vaccinations are a public health issue and not just parental right. The decision to forgo vaccination poses a real threat to others.

“Educators understand the importance of vaccinations and their role in keeping our classrooms safe from the spread of diseases. National Immunization Awareness Month is an opportunity for parents and educators to work with health care providers to increase public understanding of this life-saving topic.”

Last year, state health records showed that 5.3% of Wisconsin children had been opted out of vaccinations by their parents, more than double the national average. In the same report, over 90% of these vaccination waiver exemptions were for “personal” reasons. As of July 25th, 2019, the CDC reported 1,172 cases in 30 states this year.