MEMPHIS, Tenn. — It’s the time of year where the waiting room at Le Bonheur Children’s Outpatient Center in the Medical District will soon be full of patients in for appointments with pediatricians like Dr. Jason Yaun.

“It gets really busy. We do a lot of checkups, a lot of back to school immunizations,” said Dr. Yaun.

However, research uncovered by WREG shows immunization rates for school age children continue to decline across the country and right here in the Mid-South.

During the 2019-2020 school year, vaccine rates fell from what was a decade of 95 percent coverage among kindergarteners to less than 93 percent and it’s there hovered since, according to the latest federal health data, which is for the 2023-24 school year.

“A lot of that is due to access due to the pandemic and other reasons, but we haven’t seen that rebound,” explained Dr. Yaun.

When looking at data for all required school age vaccines, coverage rates all three Mid-South states are close to or higher than national coverage rates but also declining.

Mississippi has one of the highest school age vaccination rates in the nation at 97.5 percent but it’s fallen from a near perfect 99 percent.

In Arkansas, immunization rates range from 91 to just under 95 percent.

A review of the same federal data shows Tennessee’s coverage rates range from 94 to 95 percent. However, the Tennessee Department of Health tracks its own data, and according to its Kindergarten Survey, 92.8% of children entering kindergarten were fully immunized against all kindergarten-required vaccines for the 2023-2024 school year which marked a third straight year of decline.

Dr. Yaun told WREG, “If vaccine rates drop, our children are susceptible, our communities are susceptible, and we’re going to see these diseases and the consequences of them.”

Diseases like the measles outbreak that started in Texas. As of mid-July, Tennessee had six confirmed cases. None so far in West Tennessee. All the patients were unvaccinated.

“Measles has a high hospitalization rate, and about one out of a thousand children infected with measles will die from measles,” explained Dr. Yaun.

In recent days, state health leaders in Mississippi issued an alert, warning the public about a rise in whooping cough cases which have already doubled compared the total number of cases from all of last year.

“Certainly the number of people not being vaccinated is concerning. However, it’s not the only cause,” said State Epidemiologist , Renia Dotson, M.D.

“We are concerned and that’s why we are, you know, doing our due diligence and pleading to the public and, arranging these sort of clinics so the children and families will have access to care,” said Lanetra Wiley who is a nurse practitioner with Memphis Shelby County Schools.

WREG caught up with Wiley at one of those clinics.

The district is partnering with Christ Community Health Services, offering free, back to school wellness checks and vaccinations events through the first week in August.

Wiley continued, “Sometimes it’s really difficult for families to get into appointments and have access to care as well as immunizations. So we’re bringing the immunizations to the community.”

A little over 94 percent of students were fully immunized across public and private schools in Shelby County, which is just below the statewide goal of 95 percent.

A closer look at both national and state data shows as immunization rates have fallen, religious exemptions have increased.

For example in Tennessee, 3.4 percent of kindergarteners had a religious exemption on file for the 2023-24 school year, up 3 percent from the previous year.

In Shelby County, 2 percent filed for that exemption.

WREG asked Dr. Yaun, “What do you say to, to parents and families who are vaccine hesitant, who are concerned either about getting vaccinated or getting vaccinated on the schedule that’s out there, having the the multiple doses at at one time?”

He replied, “Yeah, I say let’s talk about it. That’s why your pediatrician is here. You know, talk to your doctor, and use those reliable health resources.”

In addition to immunizations, Dr. Yaun stressed the importance it is, of pediatric, yearly wellness visits. He said that’s the time to cover everything from prevention to mental and behavioral health–and this time of year, getting sports physicals.

You can find more information about free immunization clinics, vaccines and exemption requirements with the state health departments for Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee.