Health Advisory: Get your patients back on track with routine vaccinations.
Grays Harbor County Public Health & Social Services Department
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all aspects of life, including patients’ ability to attend important appointments and receive routine vaccinations. Many patients had to postpone or cancel appointments and still may not have had the opportunity to catch back up on needed healthcare.
Public Health encourages your patients to schedule appointments to ensure they are up to date on annual exams and recommended vaccines. Research has consistently shown that healthcare professionals are the most trusted source of vaccine information for parents and patients.
Many of our Washington kids are vulnerable to serious but preventable diseases, “We need to get children caught up now on vaccines they missed. 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.” Acting Assistant Secretary Michele Roberts said in a press release.
Some of the notable drops seen among the 11 and 12-year-olds were:
An 11% decrease in Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and whooping cough) vaccine, from 60.3% in 2019 to 49.2% in 2020. One dose of Tdap is required to enter 7th grade in Washington State.
An 8.4% decrease in meningococcal vaccine, from 50.7% in 2019 to 42.3% in 2020.
A 5.6% decrease in HPV vaccine, from 42.0% in 2019 to 36.4% in 2020. The HPV vaccine prevents several types of cancer and is more effective when given at the recommended age.
A 6.0% decrease in the proportion receiving the 1:1:1 series (1 dose of Tdap, 1 or more doses of meningococcal vaccine, and 1 or more doses of HPV vaccine) from 39.4% in 2019 to 33.4% in 2020.
We know providers are taking many precautions to keep families safe during preventive visits. It is also convenient to protect older children against COVID-19 now that kids who are 12 and up can get the COVID-19 vaccine at the same time as the rest of their vaccines. Let’s get everyone back to school safely after the disruption of the last two school years, knowing we’re protecting them from outbreaks of many diseases.