As the new school year draws closer, Ohio officials are urging parents to rethink their child’s vaccination status.
Doctors agree that they are seeing more diseases as the anti-vax movement races through the current parent generation.
Importance of Childhood Vaccinations
On Tuesday, the Ohio Department of Health Director, Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, reached out to parents to share the importance of making sure that kids are up-to-date on childhood vaccinations.
He references the continuing threats of the COVID-19 and influenza cases, along with measles, whooping cough and mumps which are all on the rise among kids.
COVID Cases on the Rise
Covid cases went from 1,000 per week to more than 3,000 in a single week in the state.
Doctors wanted to remind parents that this is just during the summer, and the numbers are expected to rise even higher during the winter months and during the school year when kids are together in person in the classroom.
Measles Is Making a Comeback
Ohio has already had seven cases of measles just this year. The once-defunct disease has been rapidly spreading through the United States.
In Virginia, more cases have been reported as a traveler tested positive for the illness after visiting an area with a high infection rate.
Children Are Susceptible to Viruses
Dr. Vanderhoff wants to remind parents that kids are especially susceptible to preventable diseases, which means that they can become deadly incredibly fast.
It takes very little for kids to become infected from a nearby transmission. Traveling is one of the biggest reasons for spreading the illness and many kids are still flying globally without the proper protections.
Vaccines Are Highly Effective
Doctors and scientists are in agreement that vaccines are safe for children and highly effective at stopping communicable diseases.
Dr. Vanderhoff said that, “They are very safe and have been used for a very long time. The best step a parent can take is to have your child vaccinated with age-appropriate, recommended vaccines.”
Preventable Diseases
Several common diseases that children die from every year are completely avoidable with a simple vaccine.
School officials and medical staff are urging parents to visit their doctor this summer to get the proper vaccination before entering the school year.
Vaccination Rates Are Low
This year, kindergarten vaccination rates have declined to the lowest levels across the nation in decades.
Doctors are nervous that the low levels of vaccine rates mean that children are going to suffer unnecessarily from preventable disease. “A child is going to suffer, a child is going to end up with a lifetime disability or sadly in some instances a child is going to die. And we could have prevented that illness. That is what drives our concern and our messaging and our plea,” said Dr. Vanderhoff.
More Americans Choosing Not To Vaccinate
For the first time since the release of the measles vaccination in 1971, more Americans are choosing to forgo the life saving preventable medicine.
More than 90% of Americans still choose to vaccinate their children with the MRR shot. However, this number has decreased from 91.9% of adolescents aged 13-17.
Other States Are Lagging Behind
Other right-leaning states like Florida have also seen lower levels of vaccinations than other parts of the country.
In schools that see high levels of measles, letters are sent out to parents to recommend vaccination for immunocompromised children before entering the school year.
What Is Behind the Anti-Vax Movement?
One of the most common reasons for parents to forgo vaccinating their children is the idea that vaccines might give kids autism.
While it’s true that over the years incidents of autism, ADD, and ADHD have risen, there is no solid proof that there is a connection between vaccines and learning disabilities.
Lack of Trust in the Government
Another common reason that someone might skip vaccinating their kids is a general distrust for the government and being unaware of how vaccines actually work.
To combat this phenomenon, doctors and health officials have recommended more public information on the processes and methods of vaccines.
