Maine has one of the worst vaccination rates for children entering kindergarten in the nation, and the country’s highest rate of pertussis, a vaccine-preventable disease also known as whooping cough.
vaccine
Posted inMaine
Legislator wants to eliminate non-medical exemptions for vaccinations
AUGUSTA (AP) — A Maine Democratic lawmaker and other health officials are seeking to introduce a bill that would eliminate the state’s non-medical exemption for vaccinations. State Rep. Ralph Tucker says the non-medical exemption has a risk of impacting “herd immunity,” where a high rate of vaccinations prevents the spread of disease to persons who […]
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Posted inPerspective, sj-web
Vaccinate yourself from ?u shot misconceptions
Every year as flu season emerges, so too do myths and misconceptions about the flu shot. Some people avoid getting the vaccine because they don’t think it works well enough to be worth it. Some think they are too healthy to need it. And some worry it will make them sick, possibly remembering a time […]
Posted inPerspective, sj-web
How small groups of vaccine refusers can make large groups of people sick
Infectious diseases such as chickenpox and measles — once a rite of passage for American children — have been made uncommon because of vaccines. However, in recent years, an increasing number of parents are refusing vaccines, resulting in outbreaks. The overall vaccination rate in the United States is still high, fortunately, despite this worrisome trend. […]
Posted inNation / World
Last season, adult flu vaccinations dropped and that could be why deaths rose
Fewer than 4 out of 10 adults in the United States got flu shots last winter, the lowest rate in seven seasons and one likely reason why the 2017-2018 season was the deadliest in decades. Reports released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provide new details outlining the severity of the past […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn, sj-web
Nursing students give Lewiston a shot
Jay Young, left, distracts Shannon Lynch while she gets her free flu shot Thursday from Randi St. Amand at Trinity Jubilee Center in Lewiston. Young and St. Amand are nursing students at the University of Southern Maine and are participating in a two-semester community health care partnership. Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston provided logistical […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Vaccination opt-out rate rising among Maine kindergartners
Maine’s vaccination coverage for students entering kindergarten worsened in 2017-18, making outbreaks of preventable diseases such as measles, chicken pox and pertussis more likely. Five percent of kindergartners – about 600 students of the 12,500 in that grade – attended school this year without getting required vaccines because their parents opted out on philosophic or […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine students to be required to get meningitis vaccine
Maine middle and high school students will have to be vaccinated for meningitis starting in the 2018-19 school year. The new rule will apply to students entering seventh grade and 12th grade, for whom vaccination was previously recommended but not required. Bacterial meningitis is a rare but potentially deadly disease in which the membranes surrounding […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Sanford schools report outbreak of whooping cough
Sanford schools are reporting a pertussis outbreak, with four confirmed cases at Margaret Chase Smith primary school and two cases at Sanford Junior High School. Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, remains a significant and persistent public health threat in Maine, especially for infants too young to be immunized or for children who can’t get […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Bill would require meningitis vaccines for middle and high school students
AUGUSTA — It has been almost 15 years since Jerry Greenwell Jr., a lively 23-year-old with a bright future, woke up with what seemed like the flu. His condition worsened quickly as rashes appeared on his legs and his ability to walk vanished. In no time, he was at the emergency room in critical condition. […]