CDC: Child vaccination rates are down amid COVID-19 pandemic
ORLANDO, Fla. - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says vaccination rates for children have dropped amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Many parents have forgone visits and rescheduled vaccination appointments to limit exposure to COVID-19.
However, the CDC warns this could lead to a measles outbreak.
The sample used by the agency for the study was taken from Michigan.
However, doctors say this is happening nationwide.
Orlando pediatrician Dr. Candice Jones says parents should treat their children's wellness visits and vaccination appointments as essential.
"When kids aren't coming in for their well-visits and immunizations, that's putting them at risk for vaccine-preventable illnesses," she said. "That is a real possibility that we can get another set of measles outbreaks when kids start to miss their immunizations."
Pediatric offices are taking precautions to avoid contamination, like spacing out appointments, using social distancing, disinfecting and wearing proper personal protective equipment.