The number of kids getting routine vaccinations is the lowest in almost a decade, according to a report from KFF, formerly the Kaiser Family Foundation.
It shows the share of kindergarten students who were up to date on their immunizations fell to 93 percent for the 2021-2022 school year. Experts say that’s the most recent data available.
Research shows that’s a two percent decrease from the necessary level needed to help prevent community spread of the measles.
“This is worrisome because it means that we are sending vulnerable kids back to school and they’re at risk for getting vaccine preventable diseases,” said Dr. Kristina Bryant, member of the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Infectious Diseases.
The report examines what’s known as MMR coverage. These are vaccination rates for measles, mumps, and rubella.
It shows this coverage dropped in 32 states with the largest decline in Georgia.
“For some parents, the focus for the last three years has been COVID. We’ve not talked much about the threat of measles, or how dangerous whooping cough can be for your child,” said Dr. Bryant.
While an average drop of two percent may seem small, experts warn it can be dangerous.
“Leads about 250,000 children unprotected against a measles outbreak, which is a really contagious disease,” said Liz Williams, KFF senior policy analyst.
Doctors say some families want to get their child vaccinated but they may be facing several barriers like being uninsured or transportation challenges.
“They have difficulty getting to doctors’ offices, maybe they just have difficulty in getting to doctors’ offices when they’re open because parents work,” said Dr. Bryant. “So, that’s something we need to address as a community.
Dr. Bryant believes schools could play a role in filling that gap for parents.
“I think schools can be valuable partners in delivering vaccines. This is potentially one way to increase access, and some communities are doing that very successfully,” she said.
Turning to COVID-19, researchers say only about five percent of children under the age of five were fully vaccinated against virus as of this past spring.
The numbers are much higher for older kids. It shows more than 30 percent of children between 5 to 11 and more than 60 percent of teenagers are fully vaccinated.
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