LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — I am aware of some concerns in our community about fewer kindergartenders being vaccinated and more parents opting for exemptions. I'm looking into this.
After speaking with local health officials, they told me Southern Nevada could face disease outbreaks if this trend continues. But to further understand the impact to locals, I spoke to one of the many mothers putting her children through school this year.
Meet Kayla Robinson. She's making sure her children are vaccinated and hopes other parents do the same.
 KTNV | "I feel that basically all kids should be vaccinated. I mean, if not, you're putting all other kids at risk of being sick," Kayla told me. |
WATCH | This is what a health expert recommends for vaccinations ahead of the school year
The concerning trend mirrors what's happening nationwide, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting fewer kindergarteners receiving required immunizations while exemption requests grow.
Comments or questions about healthcare in Southern Nevada? Reach out to me at Abel.Garcia@ktnv.com.
Dr. Rosanne Sugay, epidemiologist with the Southern Nevada Health District, confirmed the local impact of this troubling pattern. I asked her how this affects us.
"We're seeing the same thing in Southern Nevada. For the past few years we have seen that slight decrease — sort of slow decrease — in coverage in kindergarten and an increase in exemptions," Dr. Sugay said.
RELATED | RFK Jr. pulls $500 million in funding for vaccine development
According to the CDC, Nevada's non-medical exemption rate for kindergarteners rose to 6.7% this year, while medical exemptions fell to just 0.7%.
So given the rise in exemptions and the decrease in vaccinations, I asked her: Could this lead to more outbreaks here in Southern Nevada?
"That is always a worry we would have, obviously is that more people would be susceptible to getting ill and the more susceptible you are, the higher the possibility of an outbreak occurring," Dr. Sugay said.
Now, if you have children in school, you may already know that Nevada requires most students to be vaccinated before attendance, with boosters due before kindergarten and seventh grade. Medical and religious exemptions must be submitted on state-approved forms, and unvaccinated students can be kept out of school during outbreaks to protect others.
Need a vaccination? It's about timing.
Last week I went to a media day for the Clark County School District. At that event, I met Cindy Flores with the district's Family Support Center. She emphasized to me the importance of timely vaccinations.
 KTNV | "You don't wanna wait until the first day of school for the school to tell you, 'hey, you're missing vaccines and we can't get you started,' right? So let's get those done during the summer," Flores said. |
The Health District echoed that sentiment.
WATCH | Southern Nevada Health District reminds parents: Don’t wait to vaccinate before school starts
Kayla recalled that vaccinations were once simply considered a standard part of school preparation.
"I think it just needs to be put in place. I know when I was younger it was a mandatory thing to have vaccinations. My mom always took us. We couldn't go back to school unless we had a certain vaccination," Kayla said.
Here's some solutions for you if you're needing vaccination help. We've put together a Back to School page with a list from the Health District on vaccination clinics throughout the valley. That list includes special dates, time and locations specific for the back-to-school season.
Some of those special clinics are happening this weekend and Monday:
- Henderson Public Health Center, 220 E. Horizon Dr., Ste. A, Henderson, NV 89015
- August 8, 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
- Main Public Health Center, 280 S. Decatur Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89107
- August 8, 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
- August 9, 9 a.m.–2 p.m.
- East Las Vegas Public Health Center, 2950 E. Bonanza Rd., Las Vegas, NV 89101
- August 11, 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
You can find that full list, including more back-to-school resources, by clicking the link here.
