Immunization Waiver Requests Down 39 Percent In MI

A rule change impacting how parents can apply for a non-medical immunization waiver for their child is being credited with a 39 percent drop in the number of requests for a waiver.

Jennifer Eisner with the state Department of Health and Human Services says, this time around, parents had to request a waiver in person at their county public health department and talk to a nurse.

She says just opening the door to that conversation likely helped alleviate some parents concerns with getting their child vaccinated.

Eisner says the drop in requests by nearly 40 percent equates to nearly 8,000 fewer vaccination waivers.