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As School Exclusion Day 2026 approaches, Washington County Public Health (WCPH) is urging parents to ensure their children are vaccinated in accordance with the new changes to Oregon law. Starting August 1, 2025, the school exclusion date has been moved to the fourth Wednesday of February, which falls on February 25, 2026, offering families additional time to arrange for necessary vaccinations and documentation, according to an announcement from WCPH. With the aim of keeping students in school and protecting them from vaccine-preventable diseases, all K-12 and daycare-going children in Oregon must have up-to-date vaccinations or they risk being sent home on School Exclusion Day, this requirement not only helps to cut down on absenteeism but also reduces the spread of illnesses in educational facilities; however, under the revised law, there are also newly mandated requirements for chickenpox immunity documentation, either through the varicella vaccine or a titer test demonstrating adequate antibodies. Dr. Christina Baumann, Washington County Health Officer, highlighted the significance of vaccinations, noting, "Preventable diseases like chickenpox, pertussis and measles can spread quickly among unprotected students, especially in indoor spaces like classrooms, school hallways and child care," and emphasized the effectiveness of vaccinations in safeguarding both individual children and their wider communities from these diseases. She also conveyed her hope that the extended timeframe will ease the burden for busy families striving to protect their children. Furthermore, during the 2024-2025 academic year, Washington County recorded a 93% vaccination rate among K-12 students and a 79% rate among younger children aged 19 months through 5 years for required immunizations, while the area dealt with 257 pertussis cases nearly 70% of them involved school-aged kids and about 15% affected children under five, the last measles case in the county was in 2019, but a 2024 outbreak in nearby Marion and Clackamas Counties caused concern with over 60% of the affected being unvaccinated school-aged children. To bolster awareness, a reminder letter regarding the need for updated vaccination records will be mailed by the WCPH to families in early February. Details can be found in the WCPH reminder. Parents who receive a reminder letter and believe there may have been an error are advised to check with their child's school or care facility. The final submission date for updated vaccination records is set for February 25; otherwise, students without complete documentation will be excluded. For any questions about vaccinations or how to access them, WCPH encourages parents and caregivers to reach out to their doctor, health care provider, or nearest school-based health center (SBHC).
