As Oklahoma families prepare for the new school year, new state data shows more parents are choosing to exempt their children from required vaccines, even as mobile clinics work to make immunizations more accessible across the state.
Brightly colored Oklahoma Caring Vans have been making stops in neighborhoods to help families get children ready for the school year by bringing vaccines directly into the community. But an Oklahoma Department of Health survey found vaccine exemptions continue to rise.
Tulsa County health officials said they have seen an overall decline in childhood vaccination rates.
On social media, viewers shared mixed responses when asked about the rise in vaccine exemptions and the continued effort to expand access to childhood vaccinations. Some shared personal reasons for supporting vaccine exemptions, while others said they support continued efforts to encourage childhood immunizations.
For families who do choose to vaccinate, the Oklahoma Caring Van program said its goal is to reduce barriers that can keep families from getting immunizations.
“The main purpose of the caring van program is to overcome those barriers like transportation, lack of access to health healthcare for families. You know, sometimes lack of insurance. Parents are working; they don’t have PTO access, or they don’t have pay them off, or they don’t have any childcare. They don’t have where to leave a kid, so they can even always go to places where families can come and have access to immunizations, which are required,” said Fernando Guillen, an Oklahoma Caring Van specialist.
Over the past year, the Oklahoma Caring Van provided immunizations to more than 6,000 children, bringing healthcare directly into communities across the state.
As exemption rates continue to climb, health officials said they are watching what it could mean when students return to the classroom this fall.
“Well, public health is our main priority. We want to protect the community, and we know that with the decline of vaccinations, that there’s an increase of preventable childhood diseases that can often lead to health concerns and even death. We know that, and we’re always willing to provide additional resources to make sure that we’re there for the public, so we can provide vaccinations to Tulsa County residents and surrounding,” said JP Williams, associate director for preventative health services at the Tulsa Health Department.
With the first day of school just weeks away, the Oklahoma Caring Van is expected to continue making stops across the state, giving eligible families another option to get children caught up on required immunizations before heading back to the classroom.
