Childhood Vaccination Rates Decline Ahead of School Year in North Carolina

WAKE COUNTY, N.C. — Childhood vaccination rates have dropped for the fifth consecutive year, according to new data from the CDC. North Carolina is facing a challenge as the traditional school year approaches, and public health officials are working to combat this trend.

As students prepare for the school year, the Public Health Department is hosting its first back-to-school vaccination clinic. Nearly 93% of kindergarten students in North Carolina are current on required vaccinations, including measles, mumps, and rubella. However, 3.1% of students are exempt for medical or religious reasons.

In Wake County, approximately 94% of kindergarten students are up to date, but health experts say a community immunity level of 95% is essential. State law mandates that students entering kindergarten, seventh, and twelfth grades receive necessary vaccinations.

Tina Payton, a public health leader, emphasizes the importance of these clinics. “We want to give parents the opportunity,” she said. “We also want to ensure children can participate in school, as we have seen students excluded from academic settings in the past.”

Families have a 30-day window from the first day of school to provide up-to-date vaccination records. Failing to do so could result in a student being barred from attending classes.

The clinic today runs from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at Southern Regional Center. Additional evening clinics focused on back-to-school immunizations will occur on August 12 at the Health Department located at 1235 Ramsey Street in Fayetteville, operating from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.