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One of the occupational hazards of running an organization is that the change of season often serves as a reminder of the work that needs to be done or issues that must be addressed. While it is back to school and all things pumpkin, for us at Nurture KC, September starts our fall flu clinic season and drawing attention to the importance of vaccines at an unprecedented and dangerous moment.
Both Kansas and Missouri have experienced declines in vaccine compliance rates for kindergartners. The states are mirror images, moving from a compliance rate of 95% or higher five years ago to 91%, give or take, today. In Missouri, religious exemptions to vaccine requirements climbed to 3.5% in 2022-23, up from 2.7% just one year prior.
Immunization has become so politicized in recent years, resulting in a spate of legislation that undermines the evidence behind vaccination, endangering our most vulnerable. Prioritizing individual rights over the common good and fueling that viewpoint with misinformation has been normalized and most likely plays some role in the compliance drops for our kindergartners.
Complying with vaccine requirements is a longstanding benchmark for our Healthy Start program, recognizing the importance of limiting contagious disease for our children. While our flu clinics have always been an important service, they take on greater meaning now as we seek to continue a culture of health despite the political winds.
Tracy Russell
Executive Director, Nurture KC
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