By JAN McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Mistrust in vaccines, and misinformation from once stalwart health information sources, have led to fewer children getting timely vaccinations across the nation. And that has resulted in more outbreaks of diseases once thought to be nearly eradicated.
But here in Wood County, the vaccination rates for children remain strong, according to Tyler Briggs, head of the epidemiology division at the Wood County Health Department, during this Adolescent Immunization Action Week.
“We want the rate to be as high as it can be,” Briggs said. “We’re well above the state average.”
Strong vaccination coverage among children and adolescents helps protect the community and support uninterrupted learning in local schools, Briggs said.
Local vaccination rates are most accurately reflected through school-required immunization records, which are carefully reviewed as part of enrollment and ongoing compliance. According to Briggs, these records provide a reliable picture of coverage across key age groups, particularly at kindergarten, seventh grade, and 12th grade milestones when routine vaccinations are typically required.
The required vaccines are mandatory unless parents sign off due to medical or philosophical (which covers religious) exemptions, Briggs said.
Wood County vaccination rates
Among kindergarten students, Wood County has consistently exceeded the recommended 90% vaccination coverage needed to help prevent outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases. Over the past five years, approximately 92% of kindergarteners have been up to date on required vaccines, including DTaP (whooping cough), polio, MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella), hepatitis B, and varicella (chickenpox).
For comparison, the statewide average in Ohio is 84.5%.
Measles requires special attention due to its highly contagious nature, according to the health department. While 90% coverage is generally sufficient for many diseases, public health experts recommend at least 95% vaccination coverage to prevent the spread of measles.
In Wood County, MMR vaccination rates among kindergarteners have averaged 93.6% over the past five years, not hitting the recommended 95%, but consistently close to this higher threshold. This compares favorably to the statewide rate of 87.5% and aligns closely with national averages, which are typically around 93%.
Most measles outbreaks in the United States occur in communities with lower vaccination rates, often linked to close-contact settings such as social gatherings or travel.
“We have not seen a measles case,” Briggs pointed out.
By seventh grade, Wood County’s vaccination coverage is higher. The MMR vaccination rate rises to 97.2%, exceeding the recommended threshold and providing an added layer of protection as students grow older and more socially connected.
At the 12th-grade level, most recommended vaccinations have already been completed. One exception is the meningococcal (MCV) vaccine, which protects against a serious bacterial infection. Wood County’s current MCV completion rate is 80.9%, which remains below the recommended 90% target. Increasing awareness and improving access to this vaccine remains an important focus moving forward, according to the health department.
Briggs credited the Ohio Department of Health for sticking by the long-held child immunization schedule recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Ohio has stood its ground on the principles to follow,” he said. And the Wood County Health Department remains aligned as well.
“We’ll continue to do so,” Briggs said.
The health department staff works closely with local pediatricians, school nurses and local pharmacies to stress the importance of following the vaccine schedule.
“We want to make sure the incompletes are as low as possible,” Briggs said. “We want to make sure we are a good resource for the community, and a good safety net.”
The health department watches the local child immunization rates closely for any sign of slippage.
“If we see a trend in the data, we jump on it,” Briggs said.
Vaccination rates across the nation
According to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, data reported by the CDC shows that overall childhood vaccination rates in the United States are continuing to decrease, with vaccination exemptions reaching an all-time high.
During the 2024-25 school year, coverage for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR), diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTaP), polio, and varicella vaccines decreased among kindergartners.
MMR vaccination coverage was 92.5%, below the 95% threshold needed to prevent transmission of measles virus. State-level coverage for MMR vaccines varied, ranging from 78.5% in Idaho to 98.2% in Connecticut, and only 10 states had coverage above 95%. These immunization gaps have led to measles outbreaks in multiple states and the highest number of measles cases since the disease was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000.
National diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTaP) coverage among kindergartners also declined, falling from 92.3% in 2023-24 to 92.1% in 2024-25. Idaho reported the lowest DTaP coverage (78.3%) against whooping cough, and Connecticut and Virginia reported the highest (both at 98.2%). Additionally, polio vaccination coverage dropped from 92.7% to 92.5%.
The CDC also reports estimates of both medical and non-medical exemptions to vaccination requirements. While medical exemptions remained stable at 0.2% in 2024-25, non-medical exemptions reached an all-time high of 3.4%, with 3.6% of kindergartners receiving an exemption from at least one vaccine. This represents approximately 138,000 children across the country.
In Idaho, 15% of children have a non-medical exemption for at least one vaccine, while Connecticut has a rate of just 0.1% for non-medical exemptions. These numbers demonstrate the connection between vaccination exemptions and vaccination coverage, with higher exemption rates generally associated with lower coverage, and vice versa. Connecticut stopped allowing religious exemptions in 2021, while Idaho continues to allow both personal and religious vaccination exemptions.
Measles outbreaks across U.S.
As of April 2, a total of 1,671 confirmed measles cases were reported in the U.S. so far this year. The CDC is aware of probable measles cases being reported by other jurisdictions. However, this data only includes confirmed cases that jurisdictions have reported to CDC.
Among the confirmed cases, 1,661 measles cases were reported by 33 jurisdictions: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York City, New York State, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. A total of 10 measles cases were reported among international visitors to the U.S.
There have been 17 new measles outbreaks reported in 2026, and 94% of confirmed cases (1,570 of 1,671) are outbreak-associated.
For the full year of 2025, a total of 2,286 confirmed measles cases were reported in the U.S. Among these, 2,261 measles cases were reported by 45 jurisdictions: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York City, New York State, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. A total of 25 measles cases were reported among international visitors to the U.S.
There were 48 outbreaks reported in 2025. For comparison, 16 outbreaks were reported during 2024.
Partnering with community for strong vaccination rate
The Wood County Health Department supports vaccination efforts by working closely with healthcare providers across the county to ensure every child has access to recommended immunizations. Families are encouraged to first contact their primary healthcare provider for information about immunizations and vaccine availability. If a provider does not offer immunizations, the Wood County Health Department provides vaccines for children from birth through age 18, helping ensure no child misses important protection due to access barriers.
Appointments at the Wood County Health Department can be scheduled by calling 419-354-9049. The clinic accepts Medicaid and many private insurance plans, and no child is turned away due to an inability to pay. The department’s safety net program ensures that all children have access to needed vaccines, regardless of insurance status or financial circumstances.
New this spring and summer, the health department is expanding outreach efforts by partnering with local school sports physical events to offer immunizations for adolescents. These events will focus on areas of higher need where vaccination completion rates require improvement, helping bring services directly into communities and making it easier for families to keep their children up to date. These efforts also align with Adolescent Immunization Action Week, a national initiative that highlights the importance of recommended vaccines for preteens and teens, including meningococcal, Tdap, and HPV vaccines.
While Wood County’s vaccination rates are strong overall, the work does not stop here. The Wood County Health Department continues to partner closely with local schools and community organizations to provide education, address barriers, and support families in making informed decisions. Public health nurses, led by Nursing Supervisor Leslie Madaras, play a key role in this effort by offering guidance, answering questions, and ensuring vaccines remain accessible to all who need them. Maintaining high vaccination coverage is a shared community effort. By continuing to work together, Wood County can help keep students healthy, schools open, and families supported.
