The state’s School Vaccination Coverage Dashboard shows coverage rates for all school-required childhood immunizations are holding steady compared to last year, and all but one of those immunizations is above the state’s 95% coverage goal to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
The dashboard includes Illinois State Board of Education data from PreK-12 schools.
“Schools play a vital role in protecting the health and well-being of our students,” said State Superintendent of Education Dr. Tony Sanders in a news release. “The strong immunization rates reflected in this dashboard are the result of the dedication of school nurses, administrators, and families working together to maintain coverage that reduces disruptions to learning. The dashboard helps communities understand where we are succeeding and where we must continue to focus so every student can learn in a safe, healthy environment.”
According to the dashboard, which tracks childhood vaccinations at more than 4,600 schools, vaccinations rates are up for 10 of the 11 required vaccines.
That includes nearly 97% of school-aged children who are vaccinated for measles. The IDPH said the strong vaccination rate is part of the reason why the state has a low number of measles cases, even as measles cases have increased nationwide.
The only vaccine which saw a decreased rate was for hepatitis B, which is about 0.03% lower than last year.
The vaccine to prevent meningitis is also the only immunization under the 95% threshold.