On-Time Vaccinations for Young Children Fall 10 Percent in Island County

On-time childhood vaccinations in Island County fell by 10 percent between 2020 and 2025, Island County Public Health reported, leaving a smaller share of young children fully immunized on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention schedule. In 2024, just 45 percent of children aged 19-35 months and 18 percent of children aged 4-6 years had completed their recommended vaccine series, both well below Washington state averages of 58 percent and 40 percent respectively.

The drop in on-time immunizations contrasts with steadier compliance for school-required shots. Public Health found 83 percent of Island County students in grades K-12 had completed immunization status in the 2024-25 school year, a rate that has remained roughly steady over five years. Officials noted a notable decline from the 2023-24 to 2024-25 school year that was largely driven by a single district; at press time Public Health would not name the district. A 2025 presentation from the Community Health Advisory Board identified Oak Harbor as the leader in vaccine compliance and Coupeville as having the lowest rates.

Local access barriers help explain the lag in on-time childhood vaccinations. Whidbey Island currently has only five pharmacies offering immunizations, and the Naval Health Clinic in Oak Harbor supplies childhood vaccines for dependents of service members who are enrolled there. Pharmacies cannot always be relied on for childhood doses because of limited supply, insurance gaps and recent closures, and Public Health reported that for some families it is taking as long as three months to get an appointment with a provider.

Public Health director Shawn Morris said some children are not missing vaccines entirely but are receiving them later than recommended. “Childhood vaccines are one of the most powerful tools we have to keep our kids safe and healthy,” Morris said in a statement. “Ensuring every family in our community has access to life-saving vaccines is a top priority.” To address the declines, Public Health is running educational campaigns, working with providers to improve access and creating a childhood vaccine program.

The county’s timing is critical given recent regional activity of vaccine-preventable disease. Three new measles cases were confirmed among children in the Mukilteo School District after exposure to a visiting family; that family traveled on the Mukilteo-Clinton ferry on Dec. 30. Morris confirmed the family did not leave the ferry or ferry terminal area to visit South Whidbey locations. Unvaccinated or under-vaccinated children are at higher risk in the event of local exposures.

The Island County Board of Health discussed childhood vaccination rates at its recent meeting. Residents can view the agenda and recording at islandcountywa.gov for more details. For parents and caregivers, the county recommends checking immunization records with pediatricians or the Naval Health Clinic if eligible, scheduling routine well-child visits early, and contacting Island County Public Health about local clinic options as the department rolls out its childhood vaccine program.