Low vaccination rates gaining state wide attention in Amarillo
AMARILLO, TX (KFDA) - An increasing rate of low vaccinations in both Randall and Potter counties has caught statewide attention.
Over the past 5 years, non-medical exemptions for school vaccine requirements has increased in both counties.
"Across the state we're seeing the rate of child immunizations drop,"Anna Dragsbaek President & CEO of The Immunization Partnership said. "We want to make sure all of Texas and of course Amarillo are protected against vaccine preventable diseases."
Health officials have seen a 17% rise of vaccination exemptions in Potter County and 38% in Randall.
Today during a public conference, local health organizations joined The Immunization Partnership to discuss the lower vaccination rates.
The first part of this meeting educated community members on the importance of vaccinations and community members voiced their opinions and concerns over immunization.
"So many others are at risk," Amarillo resident Clifton Wilson expressed. "Yes, a parent has a right to risk their own child but in society we have to look at it as a whole and not bring risk upon others around us."
Many factors can contribute to the rate increase including access to care, fears of side effects and personal beliefs.
"There's been a lot of misinformation out there especially on the internet about the safety of vaccines," Dragsbaek said. "Some parents have heard that vaccines causes autism, learning disabilities and asthma and none of those things are true. Vaccines are very safe and affective we know for sure that vaccines don't cause any of those conditions but it is a kind of urban myth that wont die."
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