No Shots, No School

More than 100 Jackson County students were told to stay home from school today.

Parents had to get their kids caught up on their vaccinations by Wednesday, public health officials say those who missed the deadline won't be able to go to school or daycare until they're caught up.

Schools aren't required to report numbers until March, but so far Jackson County schools say 115 students aren't up on their immunizations.

With new shots required this year, county health officials expect a lot more were sent home from school this year compared to last year.

Jaime Garcia is getting vaccinated, so he can stay in school.

Right now he's getting the Hepatitis A vaccine. That's a new requirement this year on top of more than 15 other shots students need before first grade.

The needle prevents children and the community from history's most dangerous infectious diseases, according to health experts like Jackson County Medical Director, Dr. Jim Shames.

"Kids can get really sick kids can die from these but these diseases do exits in the world and they will come back if we don't have enough children who are immunized," he says.

County officials are mostly concerned about Ashland where about 30 percent of students aren't immunized and they say in such an international community these students are more likely to catch the infections diseases and spread them to the rest of the community.

State-wide only 4 percent of students weren't up to date on their shots, compared to Ashland's 28 percent not vaccinated.

"We need to think of this as all of us pulling together to help the most fragile among us," Shames says.

He says vaccinating our students protects the region's very old, very young, and very sick, prone to infection.

Jaime's caught up for now.

But critics worry the already long shot list will keep getting longer.

People against vaccinating their children argue the shots are dangerous, they don't trust the drug companies and doctors and they fear the vaccines may cause autism, a claim that numerous studies have debunked.

Students can claim exemption for religious or medical reasons, but that has to be on file before they're allowed back to school.

A complete list of required vaccinations and where to go if you still need the shots can be found by clicking here.