CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The pandemic disrupted many routines, and now health officials fear it could set communities up for more outbreaks, even those of diseases many haven't had to think about in the U.S. for a long time.
Earlier this month, the World Health Organization shared a report detailing a global decline in routine child vaccinations. The agency said the vaccination coverage rate around the world dropped from 86% in 2019 to 81% in 2021.
The CDC also noted vaccination declines in the U.S. amid the pandemic, particularly in the first three months.
Dr. Kelly Kimple, Senior Medical Director for Health Promotion at North Carolina's Division of Public Health, said COVID-19 lockdowns and other public health measures likely contributed to the decline in routine vaccinations and regular wellness check-ups.
"We've seen a little bit of rebound with that, but we need to continue to be vigilant and make sure that people stay up-to-date on their vaccines," Kimple said.
The CDC's study on childhood vaccination declines showed some vaccines saw median uptake drop as much as 60-70% over March, April, and May of 2020. It noted a recovery over the following four months, but not enough to catch up everyone who missed out on their shots.
"We know that without high immunization levels, children and entire communities are at risk for vaccine-preventable diseases and outbreaks," Kimple said. "Even small decreases in immunization coverage put people at risk."
The CDC cited one example of lagging coverage in its study, noting a 2018-2019 measles outbreak in a New York county, where measles vaccination was at 77% in local schools. It said a community needs 93-95% vaccination coverage for herd immunity against the disease.
"We want to make sure that we don't start to see some of these vaccine-preventable diseases that have been under control for a long time," Kimple said.
The U.S., in fact, just reported a polio case last week from the same New York county cited for the measles outbreak in 2018-2019. It is one of the first cases in the country in years. The CDC reports a case hasn't originated in the U.S. since 1979, and a traveler hasn't brought it in since 1993.
In order to get Charlotte-area kids back on track with school-required shots, Mecklenburg County Public Health is offering a series of vaccine clinics called "Big Shots Saturdays," with dates and times listed below.
- July 30 – 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Southeast Health Department, 249 Billingsley Road, Charlotte
- Aug. 27 – 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Northwest Health Department, 2845 Beatties Ford Road, Charlotte
- Sept. 24 – 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. TBD
Contact Vanessa Ruffes at vruffes@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.