Pediatrics > > Vaccines– Declines in vaccination might cause revival of avoidable illness, company alerts
by Katherine Kahn, Staff Writer, MedPage Today September 27, 2024
Less kids born throughout the very first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic got advised vaccines compared to those born in the 2 years before the pandemic, according to CDC information.
Compared to vaccine protection throughout 2018 and 2019, approximated protection for kids born in 2020 and 2021 decreased by 1.3 to 7.8 portion points, depending upon the vaccine, reported Holly Hill, MD, PhD, of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, and coworkers in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
The approximated distinctions in vaccine protection by the age of 24 months for kids born in 2018-2019 and those born in 2020-2021 were:
- Influenza vaccine, 2 or more dosages: -7.8 portion points
- Integrated seven-vaccine series: -3.2 portion points
- Rotavirus vaccine: -2.0 portion points
- Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (DTaP) vaccine: -1.8 portion points for 3 or more dosages; -2.5 portion points for 4 or more dosages
- Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) conjugate vaccine: -2.2 portion points for the main series; -3.2 portion points for the complete series
- Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine: -1.8 portion points for 3 or more dosages; -2.7 portion points for 4 or more dosages
- Liver disease A vaccine, several dosages: -1.6 portion points
- Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine: -1.7 portion points
- Poliovirus vaccine: -1.5 portion points
- Varicella vaccine: -1.3 portion points
- Liver disease B vaccine, 3 or more dosages: -1.5 portion points
“Analyses of [National Immunization Survey-Child] information for earlier birth mates have actually not exposed such extensive decreases in regular youth vaccination protection,” Hill and co-authors composed.
On a brighter note, in spite of the declines, vaccine rates for poliovirus, MMR, DTaP, Hib, and liver disease B stayed above 90% for kids born in 2020-2021.
Just 56% of kids across the country got 2 or more dosages of influenza vaccine in 2020-2021, down from 63% in 2018-2019.
The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) presently advises regular vaccination versus 15 possibly severe health problems for kids by age 24 months.
“Recent reductions in protection with the majority of the ACIP-recommended youth vaccines might cause a revival of vaccine-preventable illness such as measles, varicella, and rotavirus and their associated morbidity and death,” Hill and group kept in mind, pointing out the current rise in measles in the U.S. Since September 26, there have actually been 264 measles cases reported in the U.S. in 2024, and 88% of those remained in individuals who were unvaccinated or with unidentified vaccination status.
Independently, the CDC just recently revealed that cases of whooping cough (pertussis) this year surpass levels seen before the pandemic.
In their research study, Hill and coworkers likewise discovered variations in vaccine protection by race and ethnic background for those born in 2020-2021.