States officials feared 9% Increase in Non-medical exemptions

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Every year unvaccinated children are increasing. Roughly 45,000 Texas students opted out of school-required vaccines last year for non-medical reasons - a nine percent increase from last year.

Kvue abc reported that advocates had already taken effort to improve immunization rates in the future. In response to the issue, a press conference was held at the steps of the State Capitol saying that they are not trying to make any illegal by not vaccinating but, they just want the public to be aware about the decision.

According to the state data, there has been an increase in the in unvaccinated children to 19 folds. North Texas has three times the number of unvaccinated students as the statewide rate. Also, cases of mumps were reported to have been doubled for five years.

Per Medscape, data from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention's annual school immunization assessment showed a general increase in state-level non-medical exemptions rates over time, from 1.6% in 2009-2010 to 2.0% in 2011-2012 to 1.9% in 2012, an overall 19% increase.

From the result of the study in the American Journal of Public Health, exemptions rates varied considerably across states and even greater within state, identifying both spatial and social clustering of exemptions.

The sociodemographic composition of the school and its surrounding community predicts exemption rates. Higher proportion of whites, percentage of college graduates, median household income and lower percentage of families in poverty at the census tract, zip code or school district; greatly affects the rates of exemptions. Rural schools also have greater rates than in urban schools.

Parental and Immunization beliefs likewise affect exemption rates. Parental beliefs in vaccine safety and in mandates impending parental choice were also correlated with provider beliefs. Parents had a 12 times greater odd of believing healthy children do not need immunizations if their provider also hold this believe than parents whose provider who do not believe.

State exemption policies in obtaining vaccines also play part in the increasing rates. The study consistently found that states with easier exemption requirements have higher exemption rates.

In the statement made by State Representative Donna Howard (District 48) in Kvue abc, "We can prevent disease. We can prevent death if we have appropriated immunization." Rep. Howard also added, "As a grandmother, I am also concerned about my newest grandchild who is under two months and not be able to have immunization yet."

With Rep. Howard and Senate Rep. Sarah Davis (District 134) are working on a legislation that would require the government to report the vaccination rates at individual schools, education to parents before filing a non-medical exemption, gather more vaccination data on local levels regarding HPV and change immunization registry in TX form an opt-in system to an opt-out system.