August is National Immunization Awareness Month!
CDC data shows that kindergarten vaccination coverage steadily declined for all vaccines over the past two school years, from 95% to 93% nationally. At least 250,000 kindergarteners in 2022 were potentially unprotected against measles, mumps, and rubella. This is the lowest U.S. kindergarten routine vaccination coverage in the last decade. Undervaccinated and unvaccinated children are at risk for serious illness and can propagate community outbreaks of disease.
As part of the response to the pandemic-related declines in routine vaccination, CDC launched a nationwide Back to School with Routine Vaccines: Let’s Catch Up campaign running through September. To schedule your child’s wellness visit, call HSC Health Pediatric Clinic at 817-735-2363.
In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic greatly impacted routine vaccination rates. The CDC is also launching a new initiative called “Let’s Rise” (Routine Immunizations on-Schedule for Everyone) to encourage Americans of all age groups to catch up on their routine vaccinations. To schedule your annual wellness visit or catch up on immunizations, make an appointment with HSC Health Priority Care at 817-735-2273 or Family Medicine clinic at 817-735-2228.