The debate of whether or not to vaccinate, and the crisis that accompanies it,
has shot into Clackamas County.

County public health officials announced in mid-April that despite vaccines
being one of the safest and most effective health interventions, the resulting
preventable diseases are on the rise.

“For over fifty years, immunizations have saved more than a billion lives and
prevented countless illnesses and disabilities in the United States,” said Dr.
Sarah Present, Clackamas County Health Officer. “Vaccine-preventable
diseases, such as measles, mumps, and whooping cough, are still a threat
that continue to infect U.S. children, resulting in hospitalizations and deaths
every year.”

A Public Health Impact report released in April cited a growing trend of
delaying vaccinations, or exempting from them entirely, has contributed to
increases in vaccine-preventable outbreaks in the U.S. The report also points
to the lack of access to health care services being a significant issue.
The vaccination coverage numbers in Clackamas County are alarming. Of
county kindergartners, 9.1 percent, or 397 total, have at least one non-
medical exemption, a figure that is higher than both the national and state
rates. Of K-12 students, 6.2 percent, or 3,820 total, have one or more non-
medical exemptions. County students K-12 have 3.4 percent, 2,124 total, who
are completely unvaccinated.

The U.S. is headed to surpass the record number of measles since the disease
was declared eliminated in 2000. The total number of new cases reached 626
in late April, the highest number in five years. Twenty-two states have
reported cases of measles, including Oregon.

The reasons for the decline in vaccinations are complex and likely driven by a
mix of scientific, socioeconomic, sociocultural and political factors, according
to county health officials.

“Vaccines are not just about individual choices,” said Richard Swift, Director of
Clackamas County’s Health, Housing and Human Services Department. “They
are about our connection and responsibility to others. Declining vaccine
coverage has introduced a number of harmful infectious diseases back into
our communities and is threatening lives.”

More information is available on the health division’s website at
www.clackamas.us/publichealth.