Oregon’s Exclusion Day is next Wednesday
By Terry Murry on Thursday, February 13th, 2025 in Columbia Basin News Eastern/Southeast Oregon News More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
PORTLAND – (News release from the Oregon Health Authority) With the Feb. 19 deadline fast approaching for updating children’s vaccinations, the Oregon Immunization Program at Oregon Health Authority reminds parents and caregivers that their children may miss out on school or child care if their records on file show missing immunizations.
By the third Wednesday in February, under state law, all children in public and private schools, preschools, Head Start and certified child care facilities must submit documentation showing they are up to date on required immunizations or have an exemption. This year, if a child’s vaccination records do not show up-to-date immunizations by Feb. 19, the child’s school or child care center will send them home.
“Vaccine-preventable diseases can be highly contagious, with 1,246 cases of pertussis or whooping cough in Oregon last year—the highest number of cases since 1950,” said Stacy de Assis Matthews, school law coordinator in OHA’s Public Health Division. “Immunizations remain our best defense against these diseases, keeping kids and school communities healthy and safe.”
Leading up to the school immunization deadline in 2024, local health departments in Oregon sent 24,306 letters to parents and caregivers informing them that they needed to submit records showing up-to-date immunizations for their children. That led to a total of 4,446 children being sent home and not being able to attend school until their families provided the necessary vaccination records.
This year, local public health authorities mailed letters to families on or before Feb. 5.
Parents and caregivers seeking immunizations for their children should contact their health care provider or local health department. They may also reach 211Info by dialing 211 over the phone or going to 211info.org. No one can be turned away from a local health department because of their inability to pay for required vaccines. Many pharmacists can also immunize children 7 and older – the Oregon Immunization Program encourages families to contact their neighborhood pharmacy for more details.
Additional information on school immunizations can be found at the Immunization Program website. OHA’s website also features a map showing local school vaccination data and an OIP Tableau School Immunization Dashboard.
