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Washington schools not required to track teacher vaccine records

School districts in Washington must track vaccination records for students, but there isn’t similar data for educators.

SEATTLE — Hundreds of students across Washington worked to get in compliance with the state’s new vaccination law last year, but no one is tracking whether teachers are vaccinated.

Starting last July, lawmakers removed the personal and philosophical exemption for the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Now students must either get vaccinated or claim a medical or religious exemption. Non-compliant students may be excluded from school.

Although health officials highly encourage people to get vaccinated if they work around children and young people, there are no precise numbers on educator vaccination records, because there's no mandate to track it. The Washington State Department of Health said there wasn't a real incentive for schools to keep track of teacher vaccination records without that changing.

The Washington Education Association, which represents public school employees, said every single district in the state would need to be individually contacted to get an idea of the local policy involving teachers.

Seattle Public Schools, which is the largest school district in the state, said it encourages vaccinations, but there isn’t a push to track vaccination records of teachers and staff.

“Things like that have been talked about, but we don't have a policy in place and…in the foreseeable future doesn't look like we're going to have one,” said Seattle Public Schools spokesperson Tim Robinson.

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However, Robinson said if there was an outbreak the county would have the right to exclude teachers or staff and ask for proof of immunity.

The Issaquah School District went through a similar process in May when an employee at Issaquah High School was diagnosed with measles. The district closed the school for one day to check if staff members were vaccinated or immune against the measles virus.

When the outbreak happened, an Issaquah School District spokesperson said it asks new hires to complete a form certifying they've received MMR and tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) vaccines. However, vaccination cannot be a condition of employment.

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