Child vaccinations are on the decrease and this is a concerning trend to health professionals.
Dr. Chase Shutak is a medical director at the Children's Minnesota and explains why this is occurring.
"We definitely noticed a more significant trend following the COVID pandemic, which I think set off just a variety of different issues including decreased school attendance, decreased well-child check visits, increased suspicion regarding medical recommendations," says Shutak.
He says more kids are getting sick because of this trend.
"We have already seen more children getting sick," Shutak explains. "The most notable have been the outbreaks of measles, and we are at a 10-year high regarding the number of cases of measles within the United States."
He says to have discussions with an expert you know and trust, and to get your kids vaccinated before school starts.
Shutak adds this decrease in vaccines is incredibly concerning, however.
"Vaccines work. Vaccines are safe and effective. They are the best medical intervention that we have. So as the vaccine rate decreases, we will see more children get sick," Shutak adds.
He also points out that kids with a higher risk for illness will become even sicker if they're not vaccinated.
There are some mobile vaccine clinics that will be starting soon. The first one in the metro will be at the Columbia Heights Family Center August 27 from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.
Data released last month by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding kindergarten students during the 2024-2025 school year revealed that vaccination rates for children have again slipped. The rate of children with an exemption reached an “all-time high”, per the Associated Press.
This year, noted vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. also became the leader of the country’s Health and Human Services Department. Kennedy has made some controversial moves regarding vaccines, including a call for placebo testing that caused concern among experts and an announcement that COVID-19 vaccines are no longer recommended for healthy children and pregnant women.