Please vaccinate

'Don't vaccines cause autism?” asked the man sitting next to me in a recent Rotary meeting in downtown Cedar Rapids. 'No,” I replied, 'there is no scientific evidence which connects the two.”

Even though there is no research which supports that vaccination causes autism, many people still think there is a connection due to a 1998 publication of research which fraudulently claimed there was a link between MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine administration and autism and bowel disease.

Like many parents in the mid-90s, my wife and I were initially fearful to learn about MMR vaccines which might harm our two little girls. The 1998 publication made many parents deeply fearful of not only MMR but all vaccines. However, this study was never reproduced and subsequently discredited by scientists.

As a public health practitioner, the recent multistate measles outbreak that started in Orange County, California, makes me deeply concerned about the comeback of a disease we thought we had eliminated. The current outbreak shows how vulnerable our populations can become if immunizations are not maintained at a high level.

When a high number of individuals in a population are immunized, it reduces the risk of exposure for everyone in the population, including those who are not vaccinated. This is a concept called 'herd immunity”. When more and more people begin ignoring vaccinations, herd immunity may no longer work, which can potentially put the entire population at risk.

Measles is one of the vaccine-preventable diseases, and Iowa requires its children to be vaccinated against a number of diseases including measles before their school entry. A child going to a licensed child care center is also required to be immunized (Linn County Public Health maintains the list of all required vaccine-preventable diseases and schedule for immunizations). This requirement allows us to achieve high level of vaccination coverage to protect our community from vaccine-preventable diseases.

Each year, Linn County Public Health nurses conduct a thorough analysis of immunization data in all our schools (and the day care centers that are in a school building) here in Linn County. This analysis is essential to assess our vaccination coverage and exemption levels among our kids. Exemptions are allowed for medical or religious reasons. To achieve the herd immunity for measles, we need a vaccination rate of 92-94 percent. Thankfully, here in Iowa and Linn County, our countywide school immunization rate for MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) is nearly 95 percent.

In our population, some people may be too young (infants) or too sick (folks with cancer, HIV, organ transplants and other medical conditions) to be vaccinated, therefore, they depend on others to vaccinate for their safety. It is vital, therefore, that all others who can should get vaccinated.

Measles is extremely contagious (90 percent of those who are exposed will become infected if they are not vaccinated). This type of infectivity causes a chain reaction which will continue to grow unless the chain of transmission is halted. Vaccines help us stop this chain reaction. Please vaccinate. Linn County Public Health recommends all children in Linn County get two doses of measles vaccine, one at 12-15 months and another at 4-6 years of age.

In addition to the measles vaccine, there are other required vaccinations for children and adolescents in Iowa. Vaccinations that are required before beginning kindergarten include DTaP (diphtheria/tetanus/pertussis), polio, measles/rubella, varicella (chickenpox), and hepatitis B vaccine. Since fall of 2013, Iowa has required a booster dose of Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and polio) before the beginning of 7th grade. Children in Iowa that attend a registered day care or child care center are required to have proof of vaccinations. Written documentation is needed for DTaP (diphtheria/tetanus/pertussis), Hib (haemophilus influenza type B), pneumococcal, polio, measles/rubella, and varicella (chickenpox). To protect our children and adults from disease, there are additional vaccinations that are recommended, but not required. Recommended vaccinations include hepatitis A, meningitis, pneumococcal, shingles zoster, rotavirus, influenza, Tdap (tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis) and HPV (human papillomavirus).

For more information, contact Linn County Public Health at 319-892-6000 or visit our website. Linn County Public Health is the coalition chair for the Linn County Immunization Coalition.

' Pramod Dwivedi is the health director of Linn County Public Health. Comments: Comments: (319) 892-6000; health@linncounty.org