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Strengthening Vaccination Policies for Early Care and Education Programs

by Rachel Demma and Laura Muse
March/April 2016
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Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/strengthening-vaccination-policies-for-early-care-and-education-programs/5022838/

The past decade has seen a growing awareness of the risks that infectious diseases pose to young children participating in early care and learning programs. In response, policymakers in states across the country have strengthened immunization requirements for children entering programs. While parental choice remains a controversial factor in vaccination policies, more states are moving to end early childhood vaccination exemption options. Most recently, California passed legislation requiring all children admitted to public and private child care centers and preschools to be immunized against ten infectious diseases, including Measles, Hepatitis B, Influenza, and Chicken Pox. 

The Staff Vaccination Policy Gap

Even as immunization and vaccination policies for young children are strengthening, there has been less policy urgency to tighten vaccination requirements for the staff of early care and education programs. Yet, particularly for those staff members who care for infants, this remains a critical protection against the spread of infectious diseases among young children. As an example, children under 12 months old are especially vulnerable to Measles infection because the first dose of the combination Measles-Mumps-Rubella vaccination (MMR) is not recommended until 12-15 months.

In spring 2015, several infants in an Illinois child care center — owned by a national company — contracted Measles, ...

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