Fewer Kids Being Vaccinated Against Measles, CDC Says - WebMD

Jan. 12, 2023 -- For the second straight year, the percentage of schoolchildren immunized against measles fell below a critical rate necessary to prevent the virus from spreading in the community, federal health officials say.

More than 250,000 kids who started kindergarten last fall might be at risk, with only 93% having protection against measles, a potentially fatal and highly infectious disease, according to CDC data.

It's the second year in a row that coverage against measles, mumps, and rubella dipped below 95%, which is necessary to prevent it from spreading. Kids haven't been at that rate of protection since before the coronavirus pandemic began.

CDC data also shows that kindergarten immunization rates are continuing to fall against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, and chickenpox. 

"We know measles, mumps, and rubella vaccination coverage for kindergartners is the lowest it has been in over a decade … and that is something to be concerned about," Georgina Peacock, the CDC's director of immunization services, said in a briefing.

The Washington Post said health officials are concerned about the growing number of parents who are against vaccines, noting that this can be associated with the political beliefs related to the COVID-19 vaccine. Officials say this could cause dangerous outbreaks of diseases typically prevented by vaccines. For example, more than 100 kids got measles in recent outbreaks in Minnesota and Ohio. 

Lower immunization rates also are partly due to pandemic school closures and fewer kids seeing doctors.

Measles is a serious disease, sometimes causing death. It also wears down a child's immunity and makes him or her weaker against other illnesses such as pneumonia and diarrhea.

Sean O'Leary, a pediatric infectious diseases doctor, called recent outbreaks "alarming." Vaccination "equips children's immune systems to recognize and resist disease so they can develop and live healthy lives into adulthood," he said at the briefing.

-

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

UKHSA Advisory Board: preparedness for infectious disease threats

Image
pneumo :: Article Creator How Often Do You Need To Get A Pneumonia Shot? The pneumonia shot is a vaccine that helps protect you against pneumococcal disease, or diseases caused by bacteria known as Streptococcus pneumoniae. The vaccine can help protect you from pneumococcal disease for many years. One of the most common causes of pneumonia is infection of the lungs with the bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae. These bacteria mainly affect your lungs and can cause sometimes life-threatening infections in other parts of your body, too, including the bloodstream (bacteremia), or brain and spine (meningitis). The pneumonia shot is especially recommended if you fall into one of these age groups: Younger than 2 years old: four shots (at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, and then a booster between 12 and 15 months) 65 years old or older: two shots, which will last you the rest of your life Between 2 and 64 years old: between one and thr...
Read more