Health officials see steady decline in vaccinated children

ILLINOIS(KBSI) – August is National Immunization Month and since COVID health officials say there’s been a steady decline in parents getting their children vaccinated.

According to the CDC only about 86% of kindergarteners were vaccinated this year which is below the recommended 95% needed for herd immunity and health officials say its likely this trend will increase the outbreak of preventable disease. 

This impacts something called herd immunity. Without herd immunity viruses continue to be a challenge and recirculate like we’re seeing with Measles and Whooping Cough.

Shawnna Rhine is the Outreach Coordinator for Southern Seven Health Department of Southern Illinois and she encourages parents to contact their health provider and local health department if they have any questions on vaccines.

It’s okay to have vaccination hesitancy. That is not a new thing. It is something that every parent goes through, especially a young parent. So we just encourage you to talk with your health care provider” says Rhine. 

According to Rhine when the vast majority of the population is vaccinated it creates heard immunity for the general population. Without herd immunity viruses will continue to recirculate and become a challenge much like the high cases of whooping cough and measles seen recently.

“Since Covid, nationwide we have seen a reduction in the number of childhood immunizations as well as vaccinations for all ages. And that impacts us in a lot of ways. We’ve seen recently how that has impacted us in terms of measles. We’ve seen an increase in measles cases. We’re also seeing an increase in whooping cough” says Rhine. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the CDC reported a concerning drop in routine immunizations for children and adults, from which the nation has yet to fully recover.

Many schools require immunizations but it varies state to state and there are some exemptions that parents can use to prevent vaccination. Whether it be from a lack of trust after covid or nonmedical advice spread online the CDC’s data shows less and less children are receiving vaccinations.  

For more information: Home – Southern 7 Health Department

Vaccination Trends | Respiratory Illnesses | CDC