As Pa. measles cases persist, back-to-school vaccine efforts ramp up

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How many kids are vaccinated against infectious diseases like measles, mumps or rubella in different Pennsylvania schools? Parents, educators and health officials can now take a closer look at that data, thanks to the state’s new school immunization dashboard.

The big picture shows that about 93% or more of all kindergarteners last year were vaccinated, according to state data. But zooming in closer reveals a much more nuanced situation, with great variations by individual school, even within the same county.

For example, in Delaware County, 97% of all kindergarteners last year at Springfield Literacy Center had completed the MMR vaccine series. But several miles away, only about 72% of kindergarteners at Chester Community Charter School had done the same.

That’s far below the 95% vaccination rate required to achieve strong herd immunity, or the level of immunization needed for immunocompromised, vulnerable and unvaccinated people, including newborns, in a community to be protected against a disease like measles.

It’s the first time the state Department of Health has made school-by-school immunization data public. Officials said they hope families, community health workers and educators use the information to identify gaps and barriers in vaccination coverage, especially as students return to class this fall amid the backdrop of ongoing measles outbreaks.

“This gives another layer of transparency for people to make decisions for themselves and really understand the needs of their community,” said Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Debra Bogen.

The vaccine dashboard can help public health experts pinpoint schools that are struggling the most with vaccinations and communities that are at risk of disease outbreaks, Bogen said.

“We are trying to build community immunity, and that community immunity really is about thinking, yes, this vaccine helps your child, but it also helps protect those around the child who may not be able to get vaccinated themselves,” Bogen said.

The state and local communities are trying to strengthen immunity by reducing barriers to vaccination through different initiatives.

Making vaccines more accessible

A blue and white RV bus with the words “Wellness on Wheels” printed on the side sat in the parking lot at Observatory Hill Recreation Area in Upper Darby on a sweltering summer morning.

Inside, Robert Barclay waited with his two daughters, who were scheduled to get several childhood and seasonal vaccines on Delaware County Health Department’s mobile health unit.

It was important that his children, who moved from Africa to live with their father just outside of Philadelphia, were up to date on their immunizations ahead of the new school year, Barclay said, “so that the process can be smooth and they’ll be on time with everything that they need.”

One of his daughters is entering 10th grade. School-aged kids in Pennsylvania are required to get a minimum set of immunizations to attend classes, unless they have a medical, religious or philosophical exemption on file.

Ensuring that his family is vaccinated against diseases like measles, which has caused nearly 300 infections across Pennsylvania so far this year, was top of mind, Barclay said.

“I take it very seriously,” he said. “It will also prevent all the kids from getting sicknesses from people who are not vaccinated.”

Some communities are seeing a decline in vaccination rates, partly due to a rise in vaccine misinformation online and mistrust in health providers and public health leaders, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The number of school vaccine exemptions for religious, moral or ethical reasons have steadily increased for the last five years, state data shows.

But some kids may not be vaccinated by the time school starts because of other reasons, public health leaders said.

“A lot of times, there are parents that want to make it happen, they just can’t,” said Megan Sheikh, registered nurse and administrator of personal health at the Delaware County Health Department. “‘We moved, we lost our records, we’re new to the country.’”

Traveling to a pediatrician’s office or family medicine provider can be challenging, especially if there are no locations nearby, Sheikh said.

“When Crozer closed, it really, really created an access barrier to health care,” she said.

There’s also financial concerns. While federal and state laws require most insurance plans to fully cover routine vaccinations, people who are underinsured or uninsured could face fees.

That’s where the county’s mobile health unit can come in, Sheikh said. The program offers free vaccines for children and adults who may face cost barriers, and creates vaccine clinics at temporary locations that may be easier for people to get to than other brick-and-mortar clinics.

“The transportation barriers, missing work because you’ve got to get your kid to a doctor’s appointment, not getting paid because you don’t have sick time — we really try to take that into account and figure out ways we can meet people where they’re at,” Sheikh said.

The county is looking at opportunities to provide vaccines on school grounds for students with parental permission who may be behind on their shots and therefore in danger of exclusion.

The initiative is also important for protecting schools and the broader community from measles infections, said Lora Werner, director of the Delaware County Health Department.

“We want to do everything we can to be in prevention mode,” she said. “And how do you do that? Please, get vaccinated, check on the vaccination status of your family members.”