Schools' shift to online classes is exacerbating the decline in childhood vaccinations, as the start of a new school year often serves as an impetus for parents to ensure their children have all required vaccines, reports Kaiser Health News.
Public health officials have used school vaccine requirements to help control preventable infectious diseases for more than a century, according to KHN.
However, many schools nationwide have turned to online classes this fall to help prevent COVID-19's spread. This decision makes childhood vaccination coverage "much harder to enforce," Nathaniel Beers, MD, member of the American Academy of Pediatrics' Council on School Health, told KHN.
Routine childhood vaccinations have fallen dramatically during the pandemic, CDC data shows. Many children skipped scheduled vaccinations this spring due to COVID-19-related practice closures. Now, physicians and public health officials are struggling to get these kids caught up on routine inoculations.
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