Enforcement of school immunization law in Alaska
J. P. Middaugh and L. D. Zyla
Investigation of measles outbreaks during the fall of 1976 led to the
discovery that Alkaska's school immunization law was not being enforced. In
an effort to control a large outbreak of measles in Fairbanks, children
were required to show proof of measles vaccination or be excluded from
school. Of the Fairbanks schoolchildren, 25% were vaccinated against
measles; 1,251 (11%) of 11,727 unvaccinated schoolchildren were excluded in
January, and no further cases of measles occurred. Subsequently, the school
law was enforced statewide, and on March 1, 1977, all children not
immunized against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, measles, and
rubella were excluded from school (7,418 [8.3%] of 89,108). One month
later, fewer than 51 children still did not meet immunization requirements.
More than 35,000 children were vaccinated in the immunization campaign; no
adverse side effects to any vaccine were reported.
