Vaccination rates slipping in youngest kids

A new CDC report says an estimated 100,000 young children have had no vaccinations against any of 14 diseases as recommended by health officials, including poliovirus, measles, mumps and rubella, hepatitis B, and chickenpox. While most children under 3 have gotten their shots, more children born in 2015 than in 2011— 1.3 percent vs. 0.9 percent — were completely unvaccinated. "This is pretty concerning. It's something we need to understand better — and reduce," says Dr. Amanda Cohn of the CDC. For kindergarteners, the picture is stable, with nearly 95 percent fully vaccinated.

Vaccination Coverage Among Children Aged 19–35 Months — United States, 2017

Weekly / October 12, 2018 / 67(40);1123–1128

Holly A. Hill, MD, PhD1; Laurie D. Elam-Evans, PhD1; David Yankey, PhD1; James A. Singleton, PhD1; Yoonjae Kang, MPH1 (View author affiliations)

Summary

What is already known about this topic?

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends routine vaccination by age 24 months against 14 potentially serious illnesses.

What is added by this report?

In 2017, coverage with most recommended vaccines among children aged 19–35 months remained stable and high but was lower in more rural areas and among uninsured or Medicaid-insured children. A small but increasing proportion of children received no vaccines by age 24 months.

What are the implications for public health practice?

Collaboration with state immunization programs, eliminating missed immunization opportunities, and minimizing interruptions in insurance coverage are important to understand and address coverage disparities among children eligible for the Vaccines for Children program and those in rural areas.