School Immunization Reports
Each year, nurses employed by the Polk County Health Department (PCHD) perform an audit of the vaccination certificates of the students in each public and non-public school within Polk County limits. Our nurses collect information related to vaccination exemptions and certificates of students enrolled in these schools. This audit process is mandated by the Iowa Agency of Health and Human Services. Using data collected from these audits, PCHD staff develop an analysis and identification of trends in student enrollment, exemptions and certificates, and vaccination rates in the county.
In Polk County, the number of children who were not fully vaccinated (NFV) has been steadily increasing every year. The NFV category represents the summary of certificates and exemptions reported at the time of the school audit. The number of students who are not fully vaccinated represents a public health concern based on the potential impact that a vaccine-preventable disease outbreak could have on this population. Children who are not properly immunized could be at high risk of getting sick if an outbreak occurs affecting their own well-being and exposing other students and school staff including at–risk populations such as students with a compromised immune system, who cannot be vaccinated.
These reports should serve as a reference to the status of immunization practices in Polk County schools. It is our goal that the information provided will assist school officials and parents in improving immunization practices among students and enhancing disease preventive measures in schools.
If you have any inquiry or comments regarding the content presented in our school immunization reports, please contact our Childhood Immunization Program at (515) 286-3798 or healthdept@polkcountyiowa.gov
Note: In 2021, the collection of data for school immunization reports in Iowa was mandated to be conducted earlier in the school year than previous years. This change in the timeline has created a variation in trends previously observed in schools in Polk County and significant changes in numbers associated to Provisional Certificates and Not Fully Vaccinated students.