State: Arizona measles vaccinations higher than CDC study claims
Sep 4, 2015, 1:58 PM
(AP Photo)
(AP Photo)
PHOENIX — The Arizona Department of Health Service said measles vaccinations have remained at a high rate, despite the claims made by a Centers for Disease Control study.
The CDC’s findings said Arizona has the lowest instance of measles, mumps and rubella vaccinations in the nation, with 84.1 percent of the state’s children having received the treatment.
Jessica Rigler with the state health department said Arizona’s vaccination rate is actually much higher.
“We look at child care — kids who are enrolled in a daycare or child care setting — between the ages of about 1 and 5 and, in that population, we’ve got 95.8 percent of children vaccinated,” she said.
According to Rigler, 94.2 percent of kindergarteners and 94.7 percent of sixth-graders had the two-shot vaccinations. Those numbers, which Rigler said have been fairly steady over the past few years, would put Arizona well over the national average of 91.5 percent, as reported by the CDC.
The difference between the state’s numbers and the CDC’s, Rigler said, comes down to sample size. While Arizona relies on multiple grade levels to report vaccination numbers, the CDC used a “very small” portion of the population to determine its average.
Rigler said it is important parents have their children immunized, given the sickness’ rapid ability to spread. Earlier this year, a measles case confirmed in Maricopa County was linked to an outbreak stemming from Disneyland in Anaheim, California.
