LIST: Vaccination exemption percentages at East Texas schools

TYLER, Texas — From January 1 to May 3, 2019, 764 individual cases of measles have been confirmed in the United States, with 15 of those being in Texas

This is the greatest number of cases reported in the U.S. since 1994 and since measles was declared eliminated in 2000. 

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory illness spread by contact with an infected person through coughing and sneezing. 

Cases have been reported in the following Texas counties:

• Bell - 1
• Bexar - 1
• Collin - 2
• Dallas - 1
• Denton - 1
• Harris - 4
• Galveston - 1
• Guadalupe - 1
• Jefferson - 1
• Montgomery - 1
• Tarrant - 1

Texas had nine confirmed cases in 2018 and one in 2017.

A hallmark of measles is a rash that begins as flat, red spots on the face and spreads down the neck and trunk to the rest of the body. Other symptoms include a high fever (over 101 degrees), cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes. 

Measles is so contagious that if someone has contracted the illness, 90 percent of the people around that person, who are not immune, will become infected, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend children get a dose of the measles vaccine at 12-15 months of age and again at 4-6 years. The measles vaccine is highly effective (about 97 percent after two doses). Children too young to be vaccinated or who have only had one dose of vaccine are more likely to get infected.

However, the state allows parents to claim a vaccination exemption for reasons of conscience, including religious belief.

CBS19's sister station WFAA obtained data from the Texas Department of State Health Services through an open records request identifying the percentage of students who are exempt from vaccinations at every public and private school in the Lone Star State.

The Texas DSHS says exclusions from compliance are allowable on an individual basis for medical contraindications, reasons of conscience, including a religious belief, and active duty with the armed forces of the United States. Children and students in these categories must submit evidence for exclusion from compliance as specified in the Health and Safety Code.

To claim an exclusion for medical reasons, the child or student must present an exemption statement to the school or child-care facility, dated and signed by a physician (M.D. or D.O.), properly licensed and in good standing in any state in the U.S. who has examined the child or student. 

The statement must conclude, in the physician's opinion, the vaccine required is medically contraindicated or poses a significant risk to the health and well-being of the child or student or any member of the child's or student's household. Unless it is written in the statement that a lifelong condition exists, the exemption statement is valid for only one year from the date signed by the physician.

To claim an exclusion for armed forces, those who can prove that they are serving on active duty with the armed forces of the United States are exempted from the requirements in these sections. Armed forces exclusions apply to active duty military only. Dependents of service members are not excluded from Texas vaccination requirements.

To claim an exclusion for reasons of conscience, including religious beliefs, the child's parent, legal guardian or a student 18 years of age or older must present to the school or child-care facility a completed, signed and notarized affidavit on a form provided by the department stating the child's parent, legal guardian or the student declines vaccinations for reasons of conscience.

The affidavit will be valid for a two-year period from the date of notarization. A child or student, who has not received the required immunizations for reasons of conscience may be excluded from school in times of emergency or epidemic declared by the commissioner of the department. 

Below, CBS19 has compiled a list of the vaccination exemption percentages for East Texas school districts:

ANDERSON COUNTY

• Cayuga ISD - 2.10 percent
• Elkhart ISD - 0.43 percent
• Frankston ISD - 1.32 percent
• Neches ISD - 0.29 percent
• Palestine ISD - 0.62 percent
• Slocum ISD - 0.76 percent
• Westwood ISD - 0.54 percent

ANGELINA COUNTY

• Central ISD - 1.03 percent
• Diboll ISD - 0.06 percent
• Hudson ISD - 1.01 percent
• Huntington ISD - 0.70 percent
• Lufkin ISD - 0.45 percent
• Pineywoods Community Academy - 0.91 percent
• St. Patrick Catholic School - 2.50 percent
• St. Cyrpian's Episcopal School - 4.67 percent
• Zavalla ISD - 1.63 percent

CAMP COUNTY

• Pittsburg ISD - 0.04 percent

CASS COUNTY

• Atlanta ISD - 1.09 percent
• Avinger ISD - 1.59 percent
• Bloomburg ISD - 1.56 percent
• Hughes Springs ISD - 0.17 percent
• Linden-Kildare CISD - 0.00 percent
• McLeod ISD - 0.28 percent
• Queen City ISD - 1.23 percent

CHEROKEE COUNTY

• Alto ISD - 0.93 percent
• Jacksonville ISD - 0.93 percent
• New Summerfield ISD - 0.00 percent
• Rusk ISD - 0.43 percent
• Wells ISD - 2.23 percent

GREGG COUNTY

• Christian Heritage School - 5.65 percent
• East Texas Charter School - 2.14 percent
• East Texas Christian School - 13.01 percent
• Gladewater ISD - 1.00 percent
• Kilgore ISD - 0.62 percent
• Longview ISD - 0.72 percent
• Pine Tree ISD - 0.71 percent
• Sabine ISD - 1.33 percent
• Spring Hill ISD - 1.59 percent
• St. Mary's Catholic School - 0.00 percent
• Trinity School of Texas - 5.58 percent
• Union Grove ISD - 2.35 percent
• White Oak ISD - 1.68 percent

HARRISON COUNTY

• Elysian Fields ISD - 1.39 percent
• Hallsville ISD - 1.05 percent
• Harleton ISD - 0.56 percent
• Karnack ISD - 0.78 percent
• Marshall ISD - 0.33 percent
• Trinity Episcopal School - 2.40 percent
• Waskom ISD - 0.90 percent

HENDERSON COUNTY

• Athens ISD - 0.84 percent
• Brownsboro ISD - 1.03 percent
• Cross Roads ISD - 1.31 percent
• Eustace ISD - 1.55 percent
• LaPoynor ISD - 0.93 percent
• Mabank ISD - 1.55 percent
• Malakoff ISD - 1.13 percent
• Murchison ISD - 2.70 percent
• Trinidad ISD - 1.83 percent

HOPKINS COUNTY

• Como-Pickton CISD - 0.00 percent
• Miller Grove ISD - 2.33 percent
• North Hopkins ISD - 0.62 percent
• Satillo ISD - 1.27 percent 
• Sulphur Bluff ISD - 0.95 percent
• Sulphur Springs ISD - 1.13 percent

HOUSTON COUNTY

• Crockett ISD - 0.40 percent
• Grapeland ISD - 1.46 percent
• Kennard ISD - 0.00 percent
• Latexo ISD - 1.77 percent
• Lovelady ISD - 2.15 percent

MARION COUNTY

• Jefferson ISD - 1.08 percent

MORRIS COUNTY

• Daingerfield-Lone Star ISD - 0.10 percent
• Pewitt CISD - 0.47 percent

NACOGDOCHES COUNTY

• Central Heights ISD - 1.92 percent
• Chireno ISD - 1.35 percent
• Cushing ISD - 0.19 percent
• Douglass ISD - 1.67 percent
• Etoile ISD - 0.00 percent
• Garrison ISD - 0.45 percent
• Martinsville ISD - 1.33 percent
• Nacgodcoches ISD - 0.45 percent
• Regents Academy - 4.46 percent
• Stephen F. Austin State University Charter School - 2.75 percent
• Woden ISD - 0.43 percent

PANOLA COUNTY

• Beckville ISD - 0.64 percent
• Carthage ISD - 0.66 percent
• Panola Charter School - 3.40 percent

POLK COUNTY

• Big Sandy ISD - 1.04 percent
• Corrigan-Camden ISD - 0.24 percent
• Goodrich ISD - 2.46 percent
• Leggett ISD - 0.55 percent
• Livingston ISD - 0.93 percent
• Onalaska ISD - 0.10 percent

RUSK COUNTY

• Carlisle ISD - 1.02 percent
• Full Armor Christian Academy - 3.13 percent
• Henderson ISD - 0.46 percent
• Laneville ISD - 0.00 percent
• Leveretts Chapel - 0.00 percent
• Mount Enterprise ISD - 0.96 percent
• Overton ISD - 0.00 percent
• Tatum ISD - 0.25 percent
• West Rusk ISD - 0.67 percent

SABINE COUNTY

• Brookeland ISD - 4.09 percent
• Hemphill ISD - 0.58 percent
• West Sabine ISD - 0.63 percent

SAN AUGUSTINE COUNTY

• Broaddus ISD - 1.03 percent
• San Augustine ISD - 0.00 percent

SHELBY COUNTY

• Center ISD - 0.29 percent
• Excelsior ISD - 1.11 percent
• Joaquin ISD - 1.76 percent
• Shelbyville ISD - 0.13 percent
• Tenaha ISD - 0.00 percent
• Timpson ISD - 0.00 percent

SMITH COUNTY

• All Saints Episcopal School of Tyler - 1.11 percent
• Arp ISD - 0.33 percent
• Bishop T.K. Gorman Catholic School - 0.00 percent
• Bullard ISD - 2.24 percent
• Chapel Hill ISD - 0.11 percent
• Cumberland Academy - 3.82 percent
• East Texas Christian Academy - 6.37 percent
• Grace Community School - 2.74 percent
• Lindale ISD - 2.41 percent
• St. Gregory Catholic School - 0.47 percent
• The Brook Hill School - 1.74 percent
• Troup ISD - 1.05 percent
• Tyler ISD - 0.87 percent
• UT Tyler Innovation Academy - 7.00 percent
• Whitehouse ISD - 1.75 percent
• Winona ISD - 0.00 percent

TITUS COUNTY

• Chapel Hill ISD - 1.78 percent
• Harts Bluff ISD - 0.34 percent
• Mount Pleasant ISD - 0.08 percent
• Winfield ISD - 0.00 percent

TRINITY COUNTY

• Apple Springs ISD - 2.23 percent
• Centerville ISD - 0.00 percent
• Groveton ISD - 0.68 percent
• Trinity ISD - 0.93 percent

UPSHUR COUNTY

• Big Sandy ISD - 4.70 percent
• Gilmer ISD - 1.28 percent
• Harmony ISD - 0.86 percent
• New Diana ISD - 0.75 percent
• Ore City ISD - 1.13 percent
• Union Hill ISD - 3.16 percent

VAN ZANDT COUNTY

• Canton ISD - 2.40 percent
• Edgewood ISD - 2.63 percent
• Fruitvale ISD - 0.97 percent
• Grand Saline ISD - 0.63 percent
• Martins Mill ISD - 6.62 percent
• Van ISD - 1.20 percent
• Wills Point ISD - 0.96 percent

WOOD COUNTY

• Alba-Golden ISD - 1.78 percent
• Hawkins ISD - 1.80 percent
• Mineola ISD - 0.98 percent
• Quitman ISD - 1.07 percent
• Winnsboro ISD - 0.20 percent
• Yantis ISD - 0.27 percent

For the most current immunization schedule provided by the CDC, click here.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The percentage numbers above could have changed since the data was initially collected by the state.