Children who are missing required immunizations will not be able to attend school or child care starting Feb. 20, according to the Oregon Immunization Program.

State law requires that all children in public and private schools, preschools, Head Start and certified childcare facilities have up-to-date documentation of their immunizations, or have a religious or medical exemption. Children with incomplete immunizations will receive a letter in the next couple of weeks letting them know what is missing.

Deschutes County Health Services Immunization Coordinator Heather Kaisner says, “The goal is to make sure children in our community are protected against serious diseases that can easily spread in a school environment if children aren’t fully immunized.”

Contact: www.healthoregon.org/imm, 800-723-3638; or, in Deschutes County, contact: www.deschutes.org/immunizations or 541-322-7400.