For decades, Mississippi has had some of the best pediatric vaccination rates in the country. But now that the state is required to allow parents to cite religious exemption for their children's vaccines, State Health Officer Dr. Dan Edney believes that could change. This will be the first year parents can utilize the option, and the most recent data from the Mississippi Department of Health reports that over 1,450 requests for exemption have been approved.
Edney says with this change, it's not a question of "if" but "when" vaccine-preventable diseases like Measles make a return in Mississippi.
“My job is to protect the public and for me, protecting these precious little ones going to school is extremely important,” he said. “Protecting my granddaughter as she goes to daycare is very important. … It's our job to maintain those vaccination rates as high as we can so that we protect those most vulnerable of our children who aren't able to be vaccinated for medical reasons.”
Communicable spaces like schools are still risky places for transmissible diseases. MSDH data reflects a rise in Mississippians presenting COVID-like symptoms since the start of August, and Edney says the health department is offering resources so that cases stay under control.
“This is a respiratory illness, easily transmissible and of course, the schools do a great job monitoring … situations, and we help them,” he said. “We still provide free testing for schools. So if a school is struggling with an outbreak, they can contact us at the Department of Health, we'll get them free testing supplies.”
Both Pfizer and Moderna say they are developing a new booster shot that will be available this Fall.
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