Low youth immunization rates remain ‘concerning’ for Washington health officials – By Callie Craighead (Seattle P-I) / Aug 20 2021
Washington health officials are expressing concern about a drop in infant and youth immunization rates during the COVID-19 pandemic which could lead to more transmittable diseases spreading as many return to school.
The problem began early on in the pandemic last spring as many parents rescheduled routine wellness visits for their children in order to avoid clinics and hospitals. While health officials urged parents to catch up on immunizations to keep children protected from other diseases — including meningitis, whooping cough and HPV — the rates have continued to fall short of the state’s 80% target.
“We need to get children caught up now on vaccines they missed,” said Acting Assistant Secretary Michele Roberts in a news release. “They are headed back to school soon, and flu activity often picks up in the fall, so let’s get them protected before they’re exposed.”
Data released by the Department of Health (DOH) shows that children ages 4 to 6 saw a slight drop in vaccination rates, while children ages 11 to 12 saw more significant decreases. One of the most notable was an 11% drop in the tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and whooping cough) vaccine, which is required to enter 7th grade in Washington. Rates fell from 60.3% in 2019 to 49.2% in 2020.
