Health officials urging parents to vaccinate kids with recent measles outbreak

The Minnesota Department of Health says there are now 69 confirmed cases of the measles outbreak.

The vast majority of cases involve Somali children who are aren't vaccinated.

With the recent measles out break health officials are urging parents, whose kids haven't gotten an MMR vaccine, to get them immediately.

However, there are still some parents who refuse to vaccinate their children.

"This is a conversation that I have almost daily with families that I see. I want people to know that most people do vaccinate their kids on time, but there are certain groups of parents that do have concerns," Sanford Pediatrician Dr. Stephanie Hanson says.

Some of those concerns include what's in the vaccine and if it can cause autism, but Dr. Hanson says studies have shown that's not the case. She adds that it is possible to get the measles just by being in the same room as someone who has it.

Minnesota Immunization Law requires that in order for a child to enroll in child care or school, a parent must show they have received immunizations or an exemption.

"There is a conscientious form that parents would complete, stating religious or other grounds they have for objecting to the vaccine," Moorhead Public Schools Executive Director of Learner Support Services Duane Borgeson says.

Moorhead Public Schools say they don't have a lot of kids who aren't vaccinated, but they continue to educate them about the importance of vaccines.

"We try to work with the families in order to get them vaccinated. We don't want to keep children out of school because they are not vaccinated, but it is an option the district has," Borgeson says.

All but ten of the cases are in the Twin Cites area, while the other cases are in Ramsey, Crow Wing, and Le Sueur counties.