Milwaukee health leaders urge parents to keep up with students' vaccinations heading into new school year

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- While we are still in the heart of the summer, back to school is right around the corner, and health professionals want parents, teachers and caregivers to start thinking about their vaccinations.

Some of Milwaukee's top medical leaders gathered for a press conference on Tuesday to stress the importance of keeping up to date with immunizations.

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, Chief Health Policy Advisor of Milwaukee County Dr. Ben Weston, and representatives from Children’s Wisconsin and the Medical College of Wisconsin all shared information relating to trends in our community.

"A healthy county starts with our healthy children," Crowley said in his opening statements.

Dr. Weston shared recent data related to the percentages of students who met immunization requirements. He said the numbers, though better in some areas than others, are troubling for those in Wisconsin schools. 

“Only about 89% of students in Wisconsin have met the immunization requirements last year," Dr. Weston said. "That’s down from 92% In 2020. In Milwaukee, unfortunately, we’re even lower, particularly in the Milwaukee public school system.”

Data from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services show that only around 81% of students are compliant with immunization law in Milwaukee public schools. 

“Having these low vaccination levels in our communities is a setup for an outbreak of these preventable diseases.”

There have been some changes to the required list of immunizations for the 2024-2025 school year. It includes a requirement for a meningitis vaccination and that chickenpox infection must be documented by a doctor. 

Dr. Weston acknowledged the list of vaccinations required for students can feel overwhelming. However, he said it's important to rely on medical professionals to be able to help keep track of them all. 

“We are there within your community to get you healthy and to help you keep your whole entire family safe and healthy," said Karen MacKinnon, with the Medical College of Wisconsin School of Pharmacy.

To combat these numbers, health professionals are aiming to assure people that vaccines are effective.

The state has a computer database, called the Wisconsin Immunization Registry, where health care providers can record all immunizations they give.

You can even check your own child's immunization records using their full name, Social Security number, and birth date.