Lois M. Collins covers policy and research impacting families for the Deseret News.
SALT LAKE CITY — A coalition of public health and community organizations is sounding an alarm over Utah 's falling rate of children entering kindergarten fully vaccinated.This week, the Community Vaccine Forum released a study, "The Impact of Declining Vaccination Rates for Children Entering School in Utah .
" The groups making up the forum have gathered data on what's happening as what they call misinformation and mistrust build around vaccines that were created to protect people from some of the most miserable illnesses. They say children will suffer the most if the downward trend in vaccine uptake continues.The study was created with three goals in mind, according to Michael Stapley, forum chairperson. First, the groups wanted to assess whether the existing drop in vaccine uptake creates a "genuine public health concern." They also wanted to spark "responsible and informed discussion" about vaccines for children, he said, and provide accurate information to counter misrepresentations that have been gaining a foothold."The gravity of infectious disease and the importance of vaccines in managing them are well-documented," per the report, which said that when well-intentioned individuals challenge the value of vaccines for children, it can "heighten the potential for a disease epidemic and represent a legitimate public health concern."The study was designed, per the report, to answer whether having a highly vaccinated population improves well-being.Members of the Community Vaccine Forum include the Utah Citizens' Counsel, Promise Partnership Utah, Voices for Utah Children, Utah Medical Association, Utah Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Utah Department of Health and Human Services.Close look at measles Vials of measles, mumps and rubella vaccinations for children at the Salt Lake Public Health Center on Wednesday. Measles cases are at their highest level nationwide in more than 30 years. Because measles — long considered eliminated in the U.S. — has the highest number of cases in decades, much of the report's emphasis is on that highly contagious illness. Oxford Academic, cited in the report, has reported that one person with measles in an unvaccinated population could infect 12 to 18 others, who could then each go on to infect 12 to 18 others in similar circumstances. Controlling an outbreak requires that 93%-94% of those nearby have immunity by way of v
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