Student vaccine exemptions across Asheville, Buncombe schools some of highest in NC

ASHEVILLE - Buncombe County and Asheville City schools combined have one of the highest immunization exemption rates in the state among public, private and charter schools, according to data provided through a Citizen Times public records request.

Several other Western North Carolina counties also rank in the top 10, including Cherokee County, with a 6.3% religious exemption rate and Polk with a 5.6% rate, ranking No. 2 and 3, respectively — from the 2022 kindergarten immunization data.

Haywood, Transylvania and Watauga counties fall under the top 12 highest immunization exemption rates in the state in 2022. Haywood ranks No. 8 with a 4.7% rate, while Transylvania and Watauga each have a 4.5% religious exemption rate.

Ranking No. 1 is Pamlico County on the coast with an 8.2% religious exemption rate.

According to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, an average of 5.4% of kindergarten students in Buncombe County (which includes Asheville city students) had a religious exemption from childhood vaccines in 2022-23, ranking it as the county with the fourth highest number of religious exemptions in the state.

The statewide average in 2022 of religious exemptions is 2.3%.

The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services states that "North Carolina law requires children receive certain vaccines. But in order to be fully protected from vaccine-preventable diseases, children should receive all age-appropriate immunizations."

Before kindergarten students enter school, they are required to get five doses of the DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis) vaccine, four doses of polio, two doses of measles, two doses of mumps, one dose of rubella, four doses of Haemophilus Influenzae Type B, three doses of Hepatitis B, two doses of chickenpox and four doses of pneumococcal conjugate, according to NCDHHS.

Kindergarten vaccination numbers in Buncombe County

In the 2019-20 school year, the religious exemption rate was at its highest, sitting at an average of nearly 6% among public, private and charter schools. The 2017-18 school year doesn't fall far behind this having a 5.7% religious exemption rate across the county ― this number has stayed around 5% the past five years, leaving Buncombe County with one of the highest exemption rates in the state.

An exemption means that the student had an exemption to at least one of the required vaccines, Medical Director Jennifer Mullendore told the Citizen Times in a Aug. 9 email.

"Most religious exemptions in N.C. are blanket exemptions, meaning they cover all required vaccinations," Mullendore said.

The 2022-23 annual kindergarten enrollment in public schools across Buncombe County Schools and Asheville City Schools along with private and charter schools in the area was 2,226. Out of this enrollment, there were 5.4% religious exemptions. The health department groups city and county vaccination rates together, as follows:

Public schools

• Enrolled: 1,744 students out of 27 schools.

• Religious exemption: 3.33% (58 students).

• Sand Hill Venable Elementary on Sand Hill Road, had six students out of 106 with a religious exemption and Charles C. Bell Elementary off of Maple Springs Road, had the highest percentage of religious exemptions with 32 students at 9% (three students).

Private Schools

• Enrolled: 250 students out of 14 schools.

• Religious exemption: 18.4% (46).

• Highest religious exemption percentage was Temple Baptist School off of Patton Avenue, with 27 students enrolled and 44% (12) exempt for a religious reason. Asheville Pisgah Christian School in Candler wasn't far behind with 16 kindergarteners enrolled and a 69% (11) exemption rate.

• The 2019-20 school year had a 22% religious exemption rate, making it the highest in the last five years.

Charter schools

• Enrolled: 232 students out of six schools.

• Religious exemption: 6.9% (16)

• ArtSpace Charter, in Swannanoa, had a total of 35 students enrolled with 16.7% (six) of them with a religious exemption.

"We understand that parents are trying to care for their children in the best way they know how with the information they have. The reality is that there is a potential for bad health outcomes and missed days at work or school for children and adults if they come down with a vaccine-preventable disease," Public Health Director Ellis Matheson told the Citizen Times in an Aug. 15 email.

"Once these illnesses begin circulating within a community, it creates unnecessary risk for those who cannot vaccinate due to age or other medical conditions. Given our high rate of religious exemptions to immunizations, this is a concern for our community. We want to protect all ages from preventable illness, and being up to date on your immunizations is one of the simplest, most effective steps you can take to create a shield of protection for yourself, your family, and the community."

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How can a student be exempt from vaccinations?

North Carolina allows two types of exemptions for required vaccinations: medical and religious.

For medical purposes, an exemption can only be requested by a physician licensed to practice medicine in North Carolina, according to the NCDHHS website.

In order for a student to submit a religious exemption, "the parent or guardian requesting the exemption must provide a written statement of their religious objection to immunization, including the name and date of birth of the person for whom the exemption is being requested and then provide this statement to schools, child care programs, camps, etc. in place of an immunization record," Stacey Wood, spokesperson for the county's Health and Human Services department, told the Citizen Times in an Aug. 9 email.

The NCDHHS website says that this statement will work in place of the immunization record.

"Statements of religious objection to immunization do not need to be notarized, signed by a religious leader, or prepared by an attorney. They do not need to be submitted to the state for review or approval," according to NCDHHS.

There isn't a form for requesting a religious exemption in North Carolina.

Buncombe County has had less than 1% of students receiving medical exemptions for the past five years according to data from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.

COVID guidelines for students

ACS spokesperson Dillon Huffman told the Citizen Times in an Aug. 9 email that the protocol for students who test positive for COVID are the following:

Students should be kept home until it has been at least five days since they had symptoms and 24 hours since their last fever.

"Students should wear a mask 10 days after the first day of symptoms (or date positive test was collected if no symptoms) to minimize the risk of infecting others unless an exemption to mask use applies. The student may remove their mask sooner following two consecutive negative tests 48 hours apart," Huffman said.

As of June 2022, children ages 6 months or older can receive the COVID-19 vaccine; and according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, it's strongly recommended that all eligible individuals receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

COVID-19 levels around Buncombe County and North Carolina are rising, according to the county and state health departments.

According to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, which tracks the levels of the virus that causes COVID-19 from wastewater treatment plants around the state, viral levels in Buncombe County are the highest they’ve been since April 14.

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The NCDHHS released a vaccine operational guide for K-12 schools that said "the vaccines are tested, safe, and effective. Scientists had a head start in developing all of the vaccines. They are built on decades of research. Both mRNA and viral-vector vaccine technology benefit from over 30 years of scientific work and development."

The vaccines are free to all North Carolina residents.

"Over the past several years, we've implemented important mitigation strategies to help keep students and staff healthy. This includes an increased focus on cleaning and improved air circulation in our buildings," Stacia Harris, spokesperson for Buncombe County Schools, told the Citizen Times in an Aug. 9 email.

All public, private, and religious schools are required to report on the immunization status of all enrolled children annually to NCDHHS.

Wood said that immunization data is collected each fall from childcare, kindergarten, seventh and 12th grade, colleges and universities.

Asheville City Schools has a "when to keep your student home" document on the district website that parents can refer to if their child gets sick for the 2023-24 school year, which starts Aug. 28. The document can be found at District Operations / Student Health (ashevillecityschools.net)

Learn more

The Buncombe County Health Department is located at 40 Coxe Ave. and can be reached at(828) 250-5096 to make an appointment for immunizations.

They also offer walk-in hours on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday between 8-11:30 AM and on Tuesday and Thursday between 1-4:30 PM.

More information can be found on their website at Public Health - Immunizations (buncombecounty.org).

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McKenna Leavens is the education reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at mleavens@citizentimes.com or follow her on Twitter @LeavensMcKennna. Please support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Asheville Buncombe school vaccine exemptions among highest in NC