Drop in childhood vaccinations due to COVID-19 concerns alarms NKY pediatrician
Worries about visiting doctor's offices, coronavirus lock-downs drive vaccination decline
Worries about visiting doctor's offices, coronavirus lock-downs drive vaccination decline
Worries about visiting doctor's offices, coronavirus lock-downs drive vaccination decline
At Cincinnati's Washington Park Friday, Nick Ziegler took a break from playing soccer with his daughter, Amelie, to talk about a sudden slowdown in childhood vaccinations.
"I do understand why some people might have some hesitations around it, but I think in general vaccinations – they’re proven safe, they’re proven effective," Ziegler said.
The hesitation some parents have is being driven by fears of COVID-19. They may still be in lock-down mode or think a trip to see their child's pediatrician is simply too dangerous.
"I haven’t really had any anxiety because we wear masks when we go," Danyelle Wilkerson said.
The 'we' Wilkerson talked about includes herself and two daughters.
"This is my daughter Marielle. She’s 7. This is my daughter Taliya. She’s one-years-old," Wilkerson said.
While she waits for a much-hoped-for COVID-19 vaccine, Wilkerson hasn't skipped scheduled trips to the doctor's office.
"They are up-to-date on all their other normal vaccinations," she said.
That's what pediatrician Dr. Wafa Nasser likes to hear.
"There’s a series of vaccines that starts at two months of age," Nasser said.
According to the American Academy for Pediatrics, from mid-March to mid-April, doctors in the U.S. ordered 2.5 million fewer doses of routine childhood vaccines than during the same period last year. Nasser worries that could lead to outbreaks of two childhood diseases in particular.
"Absolutely. I think, you know, we want to prevent whooping cough because there have been outbreaks of whooping cough (and) outbreaks of measles," Nasser said.
In addition to worries about disease outbreaks, doctors like Nasser are also concerned that when kids miss vaccination appointments they miss out on other important exams, including developmental screenings and physicals.