LAS VEGAS (FOX5) -- Measles was eradicated from the country in 2000. Now, it's back and it's become a public health emergency in Washington state.
The Southern Nevada Health District put out a reminder to get kids vaccinated so it doesn't happen in Las Vegas but some parents said they just don't want to.
In an interview, one mom who wished not to be identified said she doesn't even talk about vaccinations with her friends because its become so controversial.
Most of the people who agreed to an interview agree with vaccinations.
Like Kathy Trahan, "I am for vaccinating children."
Another man said, "It really helps prevent the spread of disease."
Many people said it's hard to believe some parents don't vaccinate their kids.
"I'm wondering what's going on in their head!" said one man.
Trahan has two kids and works in a school.
"Things can really spread. And I do know that people do sign a form that says for medical or religious reasons they're refusing the vaccinations but I do think that it puts children at risk," she said.
Brandon Stark doesn't think so.
"I'm against them," he said.
His son is almost two and hasn't had any vaccinations.
"Except for the minimal ones when they're born to come into this world they have to have those," he said.
Moving forward, Stark said he doesn't want his son to have anymore.
"I'm uneducated on the things that are in vaccines for one and I just - he's fine right now so I'm cool with not having them done."
Stark is part of a growing trend in Nevada.
In 2017, 71 percent of toddlers were vaccinated for diseases like measles and polio. That's down from the year before but still a head of the national average.
There was a big drop among Nevada kindergartners last year. In public schools, vaccinations for DTaP went down from 96 to 93 percent and in private school dropped from 93 to 87 percent vaccinated.
The Southern Nevada Health District is confident vaccinations can prevent deadly diseases, not cause them.
"If you can prevent that isn't that the best thing that you can do for your children?" said Joe Iser with SNHD.
The measles outbreak in Washington already spread out of state. Iser said there's always a worry it could spread to Southern Nevada.
"This is an opportunity to remind people to come in and get their vaccines, get them up to date."
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