The uptick in measles cases across the U.S. has affected parts of the mid-Atlantic region; in Maryland, four cases of measles have been reported, mainly in parts of Baltimore County.
And, though health officials want everyone to be vaccinated, parents with children in D.C.-area schools can choose to “opt out” having kids immunized.
Immunization policies in area school districts are set by the states that accept both religious and medical exemptions.
The District Department of Health‘s epidemiology team reports the city’s current measles vaccination (MMR) rate is 92% for all public, charter, private and parochial schools from preschool through 12th grade.
The measles vaccination (MMR) percentage rate in Virginia is 82.6%. Compliance isn’t tracked in the commonwealth by county.
In Maryland, the state measles vaccination (MMR) rate is 98.6%; in Prince George’s County, it’s 94.1%; Howard County is 99.4%; and Montgomery County is 99.2%.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates exemptions of one or more vaccines for children enrolled in kindergarten to be 0.6% in Maryland, 0.4% in Virginia and 0.7% in the District.
You can find more on school vaccination coverage on the CDC’s website.
