Back to school also means a number of parents need to make sure their child has up-to-date vaccinations. That applies to kindergartners and 7th graders. This is also the second year for a state law that bans personal and relgious belief exemptions. Nevada County’s immunization rate was once one of the lowest in California. But the heath coordinator at the Office of Education, Sharon Turner, says compliance has been rising steadily, since the law took effect, at a percentage that’s now in the low-80’s. State health officials say it needs to be at least 92%…

click to listen to Sharon Turner

Turner says another reason for Nevada County’s improvement is recently-publicized reports of a measles case, and a spike in whooping cough and chicken pox illnesses. But she says very few students end up missing class time for lack of proper immunization…

click to listen to Sharon Turner

Turner says there are also a lot more options for getting vaccinated, including clinics, doctors’ offices, and pharmacies. There is also a back-to-school clinic on Tuesday, from 10am to 4pm, at the Grass Valley Veterans Hall, for uninsured families or those on Medi-Cal.