As physicians who care for children and families, our mission is to keep our patients healthy and help them thrive.
With many students heading back to school soon (and some having already started classes), we know all too well what it’s like for families to navigate this changing season – and importantly, to try to stay healthy. Along with the excitement and energy that each new school year brings, this is also a time of exposure to all the viruses that we typically see during the colder months. This year, that includes colds, the flu, respiratory syncytial virus (or RSV) and COVID-19.
As families prepare for the year ahead, it’s important that children’s immune systems are also prepared to detect and resist viruses so that they can stay healthy and thrive. Just like how software updates to your phone or computer keep things in working order, vaccines help your body’s immune system work better. We also know that when everyone can access recommended immunizations on time, it stops preventable diseases from spreading through our communities.
Vaccines are one of the greatest medical advances in history. Thanks to widespread immunization, we have eradicated or controlled many diseases that once caused pain, suffering and even death for countless children – from smallpox and polio to tetanus and measles. Plus, when children stay healthy and free of such debilitating diseases, they can succeed by staying in school and safely participating in activities like sports and other after-school programs. This continuity helps improve children’s social and emotional development and their entire quality of life.
Unfortunately, parents must currently try to find guidance about their child’s health in a sea of mis- and disinformation. In the age of social media, misinformation about many topics is rampant, and vaccines are no exception. We encourage everyone to seek information from a trusted source, like their family physician or pediatrician – the same way that we work together with parents to offer guidance on other important topics like healthy nutrition, injury prevention and so much more.
At that same time, we do need better ways to talk about vaccines, along with ways to help parents identify accurate sources of information that they can trust. We must also ensure that vaccines are widely available, easy to find and affordable to everyone.
Right now, the U.S. is lagging behind. In 2022, only 45.9% of children received a flu shot, down from 53.1% in 2019, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This is compounded by research that showed a two-year decline in children receiving routine vaccinations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Also concerning is CDC research showing that 8% of children had not had a well-child checkup within the last year – and that 6% didn’t have a doctor’s visit at all. A recent UNICEF report also shows 67 million children across the world missed out on one or more vaccinations over the last three years. These children are missing opportunities for immunizations as well as vital guidance on mental health, nutrition and other areas of child health and development.
These statistics are even more reason for parents, physicians and policymakers to ramp up vaccine education and ensure that children and their families can access vaccines and other routine medical care.
As physicians who care for families and who watch children grow up over many years, pediatricians and family physicians are well-positioned to help patients and their parents navigate challenges in getting vaccines. In addition to helping overcome barriers like lack of insurance or transportation, we can also serve as sources of accurate information. We can be a backstop against the rampant misinformation parents encounter in social media and a sounding board for their questions.
But physicians cannot do this alone. Policymakers must recognize the need to help families who qualify stay enrolled in Medicaid and to protect programs like the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which offers coverage for those who might not be eligible for Medicaid. We must expand the number of hospitals and clinicians who participate in the federally funded Vaccines for Children program, which today offers vaccines to nearly half the nation’s children. This program is critical because it helps ensure vaccine and health equity. And we must also ensure that physicians have the support they need to continue physically storing, administering and counseling families on vaccines.
In the end, we all share a collective responsibility to safeguard the health of our nation’s children and the health of the public. As your doctors, we know that we are all healthier when everyone is vaccinated.
