Child vaccinations drop at a dangerous rate during coronavirus pandemic, doctors say
Hundreds of millions of kids around the world may miss out on their vaccinations during the coronavirus pandemic, which may put us on the precipice of a new crisis, doctors fear.
As many as 80% of American children are missing their doctors’ appointments during the pandemic, ABC News reported. That also means kids are missing out on their shots, according to ABC.
Child vaccination rates for “measles, mumps, whooping cough and HPV” dropped at least 40% during the week of April 5 compared to February this year, ABC reported. The number of kids overdue for their first dose of MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) is especially concerning, considering measles has made a comeback in the U.S. in recent years, according to NBC’s Today.
Reported cases of measles hit a 27-year high in 2019, NBC News previously reported.
“The last thing we want as the collateral damage of COVID-19 are outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, which we will almost certainly see if there continues to be a drop in vaccine uptake,” Dr. Sean T. O’Leary, a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ committee on infectious diseases, told the New York Times.
The week of April 5, MMR rates dropped by 50%, diphtheria and whooping cough shots dropped by 42% and HPV vaccines dropped by 73%, NYT reported. More than two dozen countries have suspended their national immunization programs, which could leave more than 100 million kids vulnerable, according to NYT.
“Internationally, measles and diphtheria will pop up around the world,” Dr. O’Leary told NYT. “Even with limited travel, they can make it into the United States.”
Herd immunity cannot be reached unless 90% to 95% of a population is vaccinated, NYT reported.
Parents are hesitant to take their kids into a doctor’s office during the pandemic, resulting in a drop of vaccination rates, according to Today.
“If we are not smart now about making sure that kids stay on schedule in terms of getting their immunization, we may be inadvertently creating another public health problem just as we’re trying to manage this one,” Dr. Christina Johns, senior medical adviser for PM Pediatrics, which runs urgent care practices across the country, told Today. “That would be seeing vaccine-preventable diseases in one year or two years down the road if we have a whole cohort of children who are delayed on their immunization schedule.”
The American Academy of Pediatrics is sounding the alarm to remind parents that annual check-ups should not stop during the pandemic, ABC reported. Pediatricians say now is not the time to skip check-ups and vaccinations - doctors are safeguarding their offices to protect against coronavirus.
This story was originally published April 25, 2020 at 11:11 AM with the headline "Child vaccinations drop at a dangerous rate during coronavirus pandemic, doctors say."