WE'RE LOOKING AT VACCINATION
RATES AMONG KINDERGARTNERSES TO.
IT'S LOWER THAN IT WAS
PREPANDEMIC.
>> Dr. Jen: NEW CDC DATA SHOWING
A SLIGHT DECLINE, BUT AGAIN, A
SIGNIFICANT ONE WHEN YOU TALK
ABOUT THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN
INVOLVED, IN VACCINATION RATES
AMONGST KINDERGARTNERS HERE IN
THE UNITED STATES.
COMPARED TO THE BEGINNING BEFORE
THE PANDEMIC IS GOING DOWN ABOUT
1% A LITTLE BIT EVERY YEAR.
NOW, THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN A SMALL
SEGMENT OF THE POPULATION, AND
THAT AGE GROUP, WHO DECLINES
VACCINATIONS, MOST OF THEM FOR A
MEDICAL INDICATION.
THE SEGMENT, THOUGH, WHO DOES
NOT HAVE A MEDICAL INDICATION
AND DECLINING, THEIR PARENTS
DECLINING THESE VACCINATIONS IS
GOING UP.
WANT TO BE CRYSTAL CLEAR, WHEN
YOU TALK TO PUBLIC HEALTH
EXPERTS, EPIDEMIOLOGISTS,
PEDIATRICIANS, THAT LEAVES AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR INFECTIOUS
DISEASE OUTBREAKS TO SPREAD
AMONGST THESE POCKETS OF
UNVACCINATED SCHOOL CHILDREN.
I THINK SADLY A LOT OF THIS
ORIGINATED FROM THE MISTRUST AND
DISTRUST THAT WE SAW DURING THE
PANDEMIC AGAINST VACCINATIONS.
BUT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE
KOE
COVID VACCINE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MEASLES,
MUMPS, RUBELLA.
THIS IS SIGNIFICANT, AND WE HAVE
SEEN OUTBREAKS OF MEASLES IN
THIS COUNTRY AMONGST
UNVACCINATED POPULATIONS.
I THINK PARENTS, IF THEY HAVE
QUESTIONS, IF THEY HAVE
CONCERNS, THEY NEED TO HAVE
THESE DISCUSSIONS WITH THEIR
CHILD'S PEDIATRICIAN AND NOT
JUST MAKE THIS DECISION ON THEIR
OWN.
>> Eva: SO MANY PARENTS GET
WORRIED ABOUT IT ALL.
>> Dr. Jen: ARE YOU FINDING WITH
YOUR DAUGHTER'S CLASSMATES AND
SOCIAL CIRCLES SOME SEGMENTS
THAT ARE UNVACCINATED?
OR NO?
>> Eva: WE HAD AN INTERESTING
CONVERSATION WITH OUR
PEDIATRICIAN WHO IS LIKE WE CAN
SPACE THEM OUT AND DO LOTS OF
THINGS TO MAKE PARENTS FEEL
COMFORTABLE.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE
THAT CONVERSATION.