Fewer Kids Getting Routine Vaccines Due to the Pandemic - Health Officials Worry of Another Outbreak as Kids Head Back to School

A decline in routine vaccines for kids due to the pandemic could leave them vulnerable to preventable infectious diseases as they head back to school.

CPS 1st Day
Gina Grant hugs her daughter Marli before the school day on Monday, Aug. 30 at the National Teachers Academy elementary school in the South Loop. Chicago Public Schools is expecting about 340,000 students back for full-time in-person school for the first time since March 2020. WBEZ
CPS 1st Day
Gina Grant hugs her daughter Marli before the school day on Monday, Aug. 30 at the National Teachers Academy elementary school in the South Loop. Chicago Public Schools is expecting about 340,000 students back for full-time in-person school for the first time since March 2020. WBEZ

Fewer Kids Getting Routine Vaccines Due to the Pandemic - Health Officials Worry of Another Outbreak as Kids Head Back to School

A decline in routine vaccines for kids due to the pandemic could leave them vulnerable to preventable infectious diseases as they head back to school.

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Nowadays, when you hear the word “vaccine,” your next thought would probably be “COVID-19,” as vaccines for the virus have become paramount. But during the pandemic, there was a significant decline in routine vaccines for children.

Now, as kids re-acclimate to in-person learning, health experts are urging parents to keep their vaccinations up-to-date to curb any outbreak of preventable infectious diseases.

Samanatha Olds Frey, the CEO of the Illinois Association of Medicaid Health Plans, joined Reset to discuss the impact of pediatric vaccinations in Illinois.