Percent Of Bergen County Kids With Measles Shot Exemption Has Grown
BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — As cases of measles rise in Bergen County and throughout the country — primarily affecting children, one of whom has died — statistics show that more kids are getting a religious exemption to skip their vaccines than 10 years ago.The state of New Jersey said this week that approximately 3.9 percent of school-age kids in Bergen County have received a religious exemption for the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccines, meaning more kids in the area are likely to pass around the virus than before. The numbers are higher than ten years ago, going from approximately 1 in 50 kids to 1 in 25, the state noted:2013-14: 2.1 percent2023-24: 3.9 percentSince kids are usually not vaccinated for MMR until 12-15 months of age, babies may be more vulnerable to the virus than older children.Bergen is not among the counties with the lowest vaccination rates in New Jersey.In Ocean County, 8.1 percent of children, or about one out of ever 12 kids, have gotten a religious exemption to the vaccine, the statistics say. Mercer County has the lowest number of exemptions, at 2.2 percent. Essex and Hudson counties also have fewer than 3 percent of kids exempt.Had Been EliminatedThe measles vaccine, used publicly in the United States since 1963, had eliminated the virus in this country by 2000 and in the Americas by 2016, scientists say. Because the virus is highly contagious, at least 95 percent of the public must be vaccinated to stop its spread, say medical experts.However, in 2016, a gap in vaccinations in another country led to outbreaks that spread throughout the world, scientists note.Before last month, the last fatal measles case in a child in the United States was 22 years ago.Older residents who are not sure if they were properly vaccinated when they were younger can make an appointment with a doctor or pharmacy to get a blood test, or find their medical records.Latest NumbersRecently, three people were identified with measles in Bergen County. They were all unvaccinated, the state said.The state's Department of Health is looking for other people who were exposed to the virus. Read more about New Jersey's cases here.As of Tuesday, 159 measles cases have been identified in Texas, said that state's Department of Health, which is updating.numbers Tuesdays and Fridays. A bordering county in New Mexico has identified nine cases as of Tuesday. Last Friday, the CDC had identified 164 cases nationwide, not including the newest numbers. The national numbers will be updated again this Friday.Patch Editor Megan VerHeist contributed to this story. The article Percent Of Bergen County Kids With Measles Shot Exemption Has Grown appeared first on Ridgewood-Glen Rock, NJ Patch.
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