Charlotte area students face Sept. 24 vaccine deadline or school exclusion

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools' first day is Aug. 25, and Mecklenburg County Public Health officials are asking parents to ensure their kids are current on their required vaccines before they go to school.

Why it matters: Low immunization rates against diseases like measles mean people aren't protected. And measles is on the rise, Mecklenburg County Health Director Raynard Washington says.

• Vaccines can take up to two weeks to become effective, he says.

By the numbers: Nearly 5,000 students (3%) of CMS students were not up-to-date on their vaccines at the end of the 2024-25 school year, a Mecklenburg County spokesperson tells Axios.

• Mecklenburg County's vaccination rate for kindergartners in 2024 was 92%, according to North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services data. This is a slight uptick from 91.6% five years ago.
• Statewide, 92.8% of kindergartners had up-to-date immunizations, down from 94.2% five years ago.
• Nationwide, vaccination coverage among kindergartners has been falling and is now below the herd immunity target of 95%, per the CDC, Axios' Tina Reed reports.

Zoom in: CMS students must have their required vaccines by Sept. 24, or have an approved exemption, per the county. Otherwise, they may be excluded from school.

• If a child is exposed to measles and hasn't been vaccinated or hasn't had measles, they may be kept out of school for at least three weeks to prevent the disease from spreading.

Zoom out: Mecklenburg County had a confirmed measles case last year, which was the first case in North Carolina since 2018. There has also been a case this year.

• The county has also seen a rise in whooping cough cases.

What's next: Use the vaccine finder tool to find a location near you. Free or low-cost vaccines those without insurance are available at the county's immunization clinic.

• Find details on additional clinic hours for Sept. 6, 15, 19 and 27 here.