FAIRMONT – As school year registration approaches, vaccinations are a focus point for Fairmont Area Schools.

Fairmont Elementary School Licensed School Nurse April Tordsen said they follow the state regulations when it comes to their vaccination requirements. To help find vaccination records of incoming students, they consult with a state-wide database.

“Minnesota Immunization Information Connection,” Tordsen said. “Providers, when they give vaccinations, they upload that all into MIIC. We’re able to pull that information. If families have gotten it [done] somewhere in Minnesota, we usually have that information.”

Requirements are posted for students entering kindergarten, 7th grade and 12th grade.

Kindergarten requires the Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis (DTaP); Polio; Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR); Hepatitis B, and Chickenpox vaccines. Seventh grade requires a separate Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis (Tdap) and Meningococcal vaccine. Twelveth grade requires a booster of the Meningococcal vaccine.

For those who wish to have their child exempt, a form to fill out is available on the Minnesota Department of Health and Fairmont School’s website.

“They actually would check what vaccinations they do not want to do,” Tordsen said. “If it’s a medical something, they would have the provider fill that out and sign that. If it’s a conscientious exemption, all they have to do is sign this. It does have to be notarized, but at the [school’s] Business Office, we have a notary right here that would be able to do it.”

There is a program for those who are behind in getting vaccinations taken care of during school registration. Tordsen said the program is for those on Medicaid, uninsured, under-insured or American Indian/Alaskan Native.

“We collaborate with [Martin/Faribault County] public health,” High School Licensed School Nurse Lisa Nelson said. “They bring all the stocked vaccines they have available. When students come in and register, if they’re not up to date and they don’t have insurance, they can head on back to public health, where they’re set up, and get the required vaccines they need.”

Over the ten years Tordsen has been at the elementary school, she said she has seen usage of the program increase.

“They’re very busy,” she said. “They bring interpreters, they bring a couple of nurses for vaccinations. This is my 10th year being here, and they’ve been here for eight years. They give us data at the end to see how many kids, and it’s increased every year.”

In addition to the health benefits of having kids vaccinated, Tordsen said the program helps take stress away for parents.

“We know it’s tough to get in to see a provider,” she said. “If you haven’t had vaccines in the past, you’ll have to have an office visit to see a provider before getting those vaccines. This is a nice, easy way for kids to be able to get these vaccinations they’ve been lacking.”

Nelson said the on-site language help has also broken down barriers, as it can be difficult for those who speak other languages to make hospital appointments when there’s no interpreter. Tordsen said the school also assists in helping families make those appointments if they don’t qualify for the on-site vaccination program.

In line with findings from Martin/Faribault County Health and Human Services, Tordsen said they have seen vaccination rates decrease in recent years.

“I think there are a lot more kids that are probably lacking vaccinations that we’re trying to help them catch up or have them sign an exemption, if that’s what they are requesting,” she said. “There’s data on the Minnesota Department of Health that you can use to track vaccination [numbers] for Martin County. We have a gradual decline of vaccinations recently at all ages.”

A big driver in these rate changes has been the pandemic, Tordsen said, as exemptions and questions regarding vaccines rose greatly after that point. Overall, she said their job with students and parents is multi-faceted.

“Our job as school nurses is to make sure students are safe and healthy so they can remain in the classroom where the learning takes place,” Tordsen said. “We want to make sure parents are knowledgeable about vaccinations when they’re making choices. On the other hand, part of nursing is to advocate for families and students. Once they have made those choices, we accept that, document it, and go from there.”

Fairmont Area Public Schools has their registrations for both the Elementary and Jr/Sr High Schools at the Elementary School today, Aug. 8 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Monday, Aug. 11 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.