More families claiming vaccine exemptions ahead of school: CDC report

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Kids across Middle Tennessee head back to school over the next few weeks, and more families are claiming exemptions so their children do not have to get vaccines.

Vaccine coverage also remains below pre-pandemic levels, according to a health report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Data shows from the 2019–20 to the 2021–22 school year vaccine coverage for kindergartners dropped from 95% to approximately 93% as more parents opted for vaccine exemptions.

The following school year, in 2022–23, coverage remained near 93% for all reported vaccines.

In Davidson County, Metro Public Department health officials told News 2 their mobile clinics have seen an influx of people taking advantage of getting vaccines ahead of school. Even though the rate of Tennessee families claiming vaccine exemptions grew by nearly a percentage point in a year, the health department says there’s good vaccine coverage across the state.

“We’ve seen year after year. This is when we are needed by so many families,” said Matt Peters, public information officer for Metro Health. “This year, there have been certain pockets of the country that have seen cases of measles; we haven’t seen that here.”

The end of summer is a popular time to complete vaccine regimens. That’s why Peters tells News 2 starting this week, Metro Health has expanded hours at their clinical locations until Aug. 23.

“Our east clinic on East Trinity Lane, and our Woodbine clinic on Orielle Avenue down in the Woodbine neighborhood. Usually, those clinics are open usually from about 7:30 a.m. or 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. But this week, here at Lentz, we’re staying open until 5:30 p.m.,” Peters said.

Per the CDC, non-medical exemptions account for more than 90% of reported exemptions. So, what are the implications of more parents opting in favor of them?

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That same report shows if more than 5% of kindergartners don’t get their vaccines, there’s a higher risk of disease outbreaks that could’ve been prevented.

“When a student gets immunized, they’re protecting themselves, they’re protecting their health. And that also helps to protect some of their classmates, too. Because if I’m protected from getting something, that means I won’t be able to spread it also,” said Peters.

CDC officials noted in the report it is not clear whether the increase in exemptions reflects a true increase in opposition to vaccination or if parents are opting for nonmedical exemptions because of barriers to vaccination or out of convenience.

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