Immunizations increase in Grant County

Bucks state trend

GRANT COUNTY - Grant County Health District reported an increase in childhood immunization rates.

The Washington State Department of Health announced a statewide decrease of 2 percent in childhood immunization rates, according to a 2007 survey.

Grant County Health District Administrator Peggy Grigg said a newer estimate for Grant County shows an increase in immunization rates.

According to April 2008 data, 74 percent of Grant County children were immunized before age 3, Grigg said. In April 2007, 64 percent of the same population was immunized.

Data was collected through the state immunization registry.

"It's a pretty good snapshot, but it's not a scientific research project," Grigg noted.

Grigg said the health district works to give parents information on immunization. In the future, the district hopes to work with schools to decrease the number of students receiving exemptions, she said.

The district also wants increased access to immunizations on school campuses, Grigg said.

Moses Lake Community Health Center and Quincy Community Health Center immunized more than 950 children in the month of August, according to the organization.

An estimated 91 percent of the clinics' patients up to 2 years old were up-to-date on vaccines.

Staff noted the organization even vaccinates for Hepatitis A.

The Hepatitis A vaccine is recommended for everyone, but it is not required for school enrollment, said immunization nurse Jennifer Terry.

"We promote the whole aspect of vaccinations here," added Nursing and Health Programs Manager Danny Guzman.

The federal government is in the middle of a campaign to ensure children are up-to-date on vaccines, said Quality Improvement Director Kathleen Thompson.

Moses lake Community Health Center already exceeded the government's targets to have 90 percent of children up-to-date on all vaccines by 2010. Some vaccines are at 100 percent participation, according to the center's data.

Terry said the clinic can tell if a child is in need of a vaccine by accessing CHILD Profile, a state registry system. The clinic can then inform a parent their child needs a vaccine.

Reasons parents cite for not immunizing a child include religion, a fear of physical reactions to the immunization and the age of the child, Terry said.

Thompson noted negative reactions to vaccines reported in the news may be in an area lacking research.

"It could just be initial research that is showing the need for additional research," she said.

Terry said some parents want to wait to give their child a vaccine because they believe the child is too young. But being vaccinated earlier means a child is protected earlier, she said.

Quality Improvement Assistant Monica Zintzun said she sends reminders to parents whose children are in need of a physical.

At the same time a child is scheduled for their physical exam, the child is scheduled for immunizations, Zintzun said.

The clinic also increases immunization rates by checking a physicians' patient schedule and looking for children needing a vaccine, Terry added.

During the summer, the clinic gave out backpacks at a back-to-school fair, Guzman said.