‘Historic’ number of American children have skipped essential vaccines during pandemic, CDC says

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported "substantial declines" in paediatrician visits during the coronavirus pandemic, likely resulting in a "historic decline" of roughly 11 million doses of essential childhood vaccines compared to previous years, according to CDC director Dr Rochelle Walensky.

“Another concerning way that Covid-19 is affecting the health of our nation: disrupting our ability to vaccinate children against other infectious diseases,” she told reporters on Friday.

“On-time vaccinations throughout childhood are essential because it helps to provide immunity before children are exposed to potentially life-threatening diseases,” she said. “As we work to get our children back to school we certainly do not want to encounter other preventable infectious disease outbreaks, including measles and mumps.”

The CDC has directed families and caregivers to revisit recommended vaccine schedules to get children up to date on their vaccinations and shots.