State Immunization Laws | Video

Amy Fox | 8/6/2012

The North Dakota State health requires children to have a series of vaccinations before they enter kindergarten.

"They felt our students and our communities needed to be protected from and especially these very contagious disease that are vaccine preventable," said Melissa Fetting, First District Health Unit RN and Immunization Coordinator.

What if you don`t want your child vaccinated? There`s a way around it.

"The response that`s typically given is they don`t feel the immunizations are needed, that they don`t see the disease,” said Fetting. “It`s not around and they don`t think their child should have it and they don`t want the risk of having a reaction."

On the state`s immunization form, parents can exempt their child from getting vaccinated for religious, philosophical or moral reasons.

"It does come with some consequences. It lowers our herd immunity, especially in schools where kids are grouped together, which is the exact environment that makes there really contagious diseases spread so easy," said Fetting.

But, for parents like Jodi Nehring, she believes in vaccinating her children.

"It`s better to get them vaccinated and maybe have a slight side effect versus not getting them vaccinated and something really bad happen and then I would regret not vaccinating them.”

After you get vaccinated, you may have some redness or pain, which are all considered normal side effects.

"Sometimes that’s the body`s response to getting that immunity,” said Fetting.
“And, that`s not considered a reaction. What is a reaction is when you`ve had a vaccination and you`ve had a response and that has, like, a systemic response, like hives, a rash, if you have trouble breathing, swelling of the lips and tongue."

Although vaccines cause a small amount of pain and there are some side effects, you may think twice before you run from the nurse.

If you`re child needs to be vaccinated and you don`t have health care insurance, the First District Health Unit in Minot offers a program called "Vaccines for Children" for kids 0-18 years old. All of the vaccines cost $13.90.

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