Healthy Habits: Vaccinations and Daycare - One Owner's Perspective

 Although kids under 12 are currently ineligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, there are some parents who have resisted to vaccinate their children for diseases like MMR, chickenpox, Polio, DTap, among others. Many public and private centers allow for exemptions, such as physical or medical circumstances, leaving those children and others at risk. 

 

One daycare owner, Kristen Denzer of Tierra Encantada, has a strict non-exempt policy for her daycare centers across the nation in order protect the other children and her employees.

I had a chance to interview her to learn more. 

 

How did you decide on your vaccination policy?

 

In 2013, when developing the policies and procedures for Tierra Encantada, we spent significant time researching what our competitors were doing as well as researching what was considered to be best practice. We were surprised to find that most childcare centers had adopted the same policy as public schools - which allows for “conscientious objection” as a reason not to have a child vaccinated. While it certainly would have been easier to simply “follow the crowd” and adopt something similar, we are committed to doing what is right - not what is easy. This meant protecting the most vulnerable in our care - infants that are too young to get vaccinated - by requiring all children in our care to have and maintain age appropriate vaccinations while enrolled in our program. 

 

How do you respond to people who might not agree with your policy?

 

While we understand everyone has their own unique viewpoint on vaccines, we require all children enrolled in our program to have – and maintain all age-appropriate vaccines. The science is clear on vaccinations and there are decades of research supporting their effectiveness as a preventative public health measure. Admittance to Tierra Encantada requires agreeing to this policy and providing proof of vaccinations. Enrollment in our program is conditioned on maintaining age-appropriate vaccinations. If a family does not want to have their child vaccinated and does not have a medical waiver, then our program is not a good fit for that family. Fortunately, there are many childcare programs and families can find a program that aligns with their priorities and beliefs.  

Why is back-to-school a good time for parents and caregivers to double-check their kids' vaccination status and make sure they're up-to-date?

 

Fall is a great time for families to review their child's vaccinations and ensure they are kept up-to-date. Children returning to school are typically in large group settings with dozens of children. Communicable diseases such as influenza and the common cold are to be expected in such settings, and keeping vaccinations up-to-date is a preventative measure to avoid illness and limit the possibility of an outbreak. Additionally, many schools require vaccination records for admittance, so planning ahead can save families some last minute stress if their child is past due for a vaccination.