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Why it matters: With schools again filling up with students and staff, up-to-date immunizations are a way to make sure everyone stays healthy for the academic year.

Pencils, backpacks, water bottles and a long list of other must-haves are on the back-to-school list for students as the new school year kicks off.

Vaccinations also should be checked off that list.

Immunization rates in the state — as is the case across the nation — have continued to decline since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. Rates have decreased nearly 4 percentage points for most of the required vaccines.

As the health department stresses, that gap leaves many more students vulnerable to preventable disease.

The trend is a serious concern, especially for our youngest students. Consider that non-medical exemptions for the measles-mumps-rubella immunization for kindergartners increased 4.28% last school year; in 2013 the MMR non-medical exemption rate was 2.76%. Those are three serious preventable diseases that more kids are now vulnerable to getting — and spreading. Recent measles outbreaks have occurred in Minnesota because parents opted to not immunize their children against the disease.

Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic started here in 2020, there has been a palpable pushback across the nation about getting immunized. Instead of a public health issue, vaccinations were twisted into a political issue.

That vaccination-resistant mindset does the most damage to our vulnerable populations — young children, older adults and the immune suppressed. Not only are vaccinations scientifically proven to help the inoculated avoid more serious illness, but an inoculated general population protects those who can’t be vaccinated. Any parent who has witnessed their babies and toddlers suffer multiple attacks of RSV knows how important newly available protection is against that respiratory disease.

None of this is new information about the value of immunization to public health, but as another school year gets underway, it’s important that parents make sure their children’s immunizations are up to date. A successful school year depends on healthy attendance, and attendance of both students and staff depends on everyone being as healthy as possible.

Flu shots are now available and later this month a new COVID vaccination is expected to be out. If you aren’t sure what vaccinations to get and when, contact your medical provider. Act on reliable information rather than being susceptible to claims that can take a toll on you and your loved ones’ health, as well as the community as a whole.

— Mankato Free Press, Sept. 4