Immunization Rate Low Scant Two-Thirds Of Toddlers Have Shots

Only 64 percent of the 2-year-olds in the Panhandle are adequately immunized, a state health administrator told lawmakers Friday.

“Our perspective is parents don’t know the immunization status of their children,” said Dick Schultz of the Department of Health and Welfare.

The immunization record in the Panhandle Health District, which includes Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, is consistent with the state-wide average, Schultz said.

The state health department is launching a campaign to alert parents and physicians to the importance of childhood vaccinations for diseases such as measles, rubella and diphtheria.

Schultz said the good news is that 95 percent of the children entering Idaho’s schools have the proper shots. However, immunization is most important for younger children, who are more vulnerable to childhood diseases.

Preventing cases of pertussis, or whooping cough, is the department’s largest worry. Although the vaccine doesn’t prevent the disease, it lessens the severity.

Sen. Gordon Crow, R-Hayden, said his 5-year-old son was exposed to the disease last year. Even though immunized, doctors still treated the child.

“The Health Department has bent over backwards to hold this down,” Crow said about the North Idaho pertussis outbreaks.

With an average of 52 percent, District II ranked the lowest in the state for immunizations of 2-year-olds. That area includes Clearwater, Idaho, Latah, Lewis and Nez Perce counties.

, DataTimes