The number of parents seeking waivers from the state's kindergarten immunization requirements exploded last year.

• The spike came on the heels of anti-vax fervor around COVID-19.

Driving the news: School vaccine waivers more than doubled in some parts of the state from 2020 to 2021, according to preliminary immunization data obtained by Axios Salt Lake City.

By the numbers: Barely a quarter of Utah's elementary schools had at least 95% of their kindergarteners fully vaccinated last fall — the rate needed for herd immunity against measles.

• The share of Utah schools where more than 5% of kindergarteners were exempt rose by nearly 40%.

Why it matters: Children who can't be vaccinated due to allergies or other medical problems rely on their peers to protect them from serious illnesses like measles, whooping cough and polio.

• The sharp increases in vaccine waivers undo gains in vaccine coverage made in recent years, as health experts debunked false claims of risks linked to standard childhood immunizations.

What's happening: Parents fell behind on their kids' immunizations as they skipped doctor visits during the pandemic, said Rich Lakin, director of immunizations for the state health department.

• Caught without the required shots when school began last year, a lot of families sought waivers rather than making last-minute doctor's appointments, Lakin said.

Yes, and: Those delays coincided with a storm of anti-vaccine rhetoric against COVID shots.

• That rhetoric may have soured...

Read Full Story: https://www.axios.com/local/salt-lake-city/2022/08/23/school-vaccine-waivers-...