Press Releases
08/03/2023
As school resumes, the Connecticut Department of Public Health reminds parents to make sure their children’s vaccinations are up to date
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Aug. 3, 2023
CONTACT: Chris Boyle—Director of Communications
(860) 706-9654 – christopher.boyle@ct.gov
HARTFORD, Conn.—As schools across Connecticut resume classes in a few weeks, the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) is reminding parents to make sure their children’s immunizations are up to date. Some children may even be lacking vaccines required for school entry this fall such as measles, whooping cough, and polio.
The good news is that Connecticut school immunization rates are rebounding. The percentage of Connecticut kindergarten students receiving required measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine in the 2022–2023 school year is 97.3%. This is an increase of 1.6% from the previous year and the highest single year increase since 2012–2013. Among schools with more than 30 kindergarten students, compared with last year, there was a 16.4% increase in the number of schools with MMR vaccination rates at or above 95%. Parents and the public can access information on immunization completion rates for schools in Connecticut here.
“As our children go back to school, it is important for parents to check with their child’s healthcare provider to ensure that all vaccinations are up to date,” said DPH Commissioner Manisha Juthani, MD. “If parents have any questions or concerns about vaccinating their children, they should discuss them with their child’s primary care provider. We want to make sure every child attending school in Connecticut is protected from vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles.”
High vaccination rates protect not only vaccinated children but also those who cannot or have not been vaccinated. This is called herd immunity. Schools that achieve herd immunity reduce the risk of outbreaks. High vaccination rates at schools are especially important for medically fragile children.
Some children have conditions that affect their immunity, such as illnesses that require chemotherapy. These children cannot be safely vaccinated, and, at the same time, they are less able to fight off illness when they are infected. They depend on herd immunity for their health and their lives.
“School attendance is foundational to learning and academic achievement, as well as social, emotional, mental and physical health and well-being,” said Education Commissioner Russell-Tucker. “Immunizations are an important tool for maintaining good attendance from day one and throughout the upcoming school year and help to ensure that all students are able to learn together in school with their peers.”
To learn how to get you or your child’s vaccine record securely online, visit ct.gov/getmyvaccinerecord. The CT WiZ Public Portal is a confidential and free service provided by the Connecticut Department of Public Health Immunization Program.
Anyone with questions regarding the Connecticut Vaccine Program can call 860-509-7929 or email dph.immunizations@ct.gov.
For more information about vaccines, visit https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/index.html
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