Mercer Health is highlighting childhood vaccination rates in Mercer County as students return to school.

Certified Nurse Practitioner Ben Werling said local vaccination coverage remains below levels generally recommended for strong community protection. Werling said MMR vaccination coverage among Mercer County kindergarteners is currently around 86 percent.

The MMR vaccine protects against measles, mumps and rubella. Werling said health officials generally look for vaccination coverage of around 95 percent for measles in order to provide strong herd immunity. That level of protection is especially important for people who cannot receive routine vaccinations because of certain medical conditions.

Werling said Mercer County also has a notably high nonmedical exemption rate among children entering kindergarten. He said about one in six local kindergarten students has a nonmedical exemption.

According to Werling, that rate is about three times higher than the Ohio average and about four times higher than the national average. Werling said lower vaccination rates can increase the risk of larger outbreaks if a disease such as measles is introduced into the community.

He said individual children may recover from an illness, but lower overall vaccination coverage makes it easier for disease to spread from person to person. Werling encouraged parents who have questions or concerns about vaccinations to talk with their child's primary care provider.

He said providers can help families understand vaccine safety, effectiveness and the recommended vaccination schedule. Werling discussed the local numbers during an appearance on WCSM's Spectrum program focused on back to school health.