With child vaccine rates declining, expert says more outbreaks possible
With kindergarten vaccine rates declining, expert says more outbreaks possible
Experts say this is opening the door to outbreaks of diseases that were once virtually eradicated, like polio and measles.
CHICAGO - The CDC is out with a new report showing kindergarten vaccine rates for things like measles, tetanus and other diseases continue to drop.
Prior to the pandemic, around 95 percent of kindergartners were vaccinated. But for the 2021-22 school year, that number fell to around 93 percent.
What that means is as many as 275,000 American kindergartners lack full vax protection.
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Experts say this is opening the door to outbreaks of diseases that were once virtually eradicated, like polio and measles.
One local expert told FOX 32 Chicago the main reason behind this trend is misinformation, which isn't new but has increased in the wake of Covid-19.
"When you weigh and measure and you balance what are the risks of being unvaccinated, and what are the risks of vaccinating and having a complication from the vaccine, it's an easy decision in my opinion," said Dr. Renee Slade, Rush University Medical Center.
Dr. Slade believes the pushback from Covid anti-vaxxers has had a trickledown effect on all vaccines and immunizations, and that the misinformation battle is likely here to stay.