Oregon Public Broadcasting

Parents of Oregon kids in schools or day care have two more days to get required immunizations, before the state's "exclusion day" on Wednesday.

Oregon health officials say about 36,000 kids have been excluded in each of the last three years. Multnomah County officials say they sent out 7,700 letters earlier this month warning families that their kids weren't caught up with required shots.

Doctors can sign medical exemptions, if shots pose health risks to a child. Parents can satisfy health laws by signing a religious exemption. Stacey De Aussis Matthews with the state's Immunization Program says the safer course is to get kids immunized.

She explained, "There's a risk that their child could be excluded from school or childcare if there's a case of disease, or potentially their child could come down with that disease."

Also, officials warn that a child could pass a disease on to a more vulnerable person, like an infant.

Multnomah County is offering vaccination clinics Tuesday and Wednesday for uninsured and underinsured families. State officials say many other county health departments are offering special services -- like extended hours -- to help get kids their required shots.