THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, March 9, 1996 TAG: 9603090384
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: RALEIGH LENGTH: Short : 33 lines
North Carolina ties for the nation's sixth-highest immunization rate for children 2 years old and younger, according to a recent survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC survey shows that 83 percent of North Carolina's 19- to 35-month-old children have up-to-date immunizations. That rate tied with Iowa, Maine and Rhode Island.
Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont had higher rates during the survey period of April 1994 to March 1995.
``The significance of this survey goes beyond the good ranking,'' state Health Director Ron Levine said. ``The states that rank the highest are states that either have homogenous populations or have been providing vaccines at no charge for several years. This is clear evidence that providing universal vaccines works.''
``Having 17 percent of our children not fully immunized means that, every year, there are some 34,000 children under the age of 2 who are left unprotected against serious illness,'' Levine said.
In January 1994, North Carolina made vaccines available to all health care providers for free. by CNB