The countdown to the return to school is on for many major Triangle-area
traditional school systems, including Wake County and Durham County.
Pediatricians say now is a critical time for parents to make
plans to bring their children to see their family doctor for vaccinations.
The North Carolina Department of Human Services Kindergarten
Immunization Dashboard reports 93% of kindergarteners statewide were up to date
on required vaccines, as
of the most recent data.
The interactive dashboard enables parents to narrow immunization
data searches by county, and specific school.
- Orange County has the highest compliance rate in central North Carolina at 97%.
- Durham County has the lowest compliance rate in central North Carolina at 88%.
- Wake County and Johnston County are listed at 94%, with Chatham County at 95%.
Herd immunity, the point where enough people in a population
have achieved immunity against a virus from vaccination or prior exposure to make
it difficult for a disease to spread, varies based on the disease.
For example, the World
Health Organization states measles requires a herd immunity of 95% to reduce
the likelihood of an outbreak. NIH studies show rubella requires a
lower percentage of about 80-85%.
Dr. Tony Moody, a pediatric infectious disease specialist who
sees patients with Duke Health, said Durham County’s low numbers are
surprising.
“Durham County is lower than I would’ve expected, given it’s
a very medically savvy community,” stated Moody. “It’s a little shocking to see
kindergarten readiness is lower than you would’ve expect, and teenagers are not
as well-vaccinated as you would expect.”
The doctor explained there are several factors behind why vaccinations
are lagging, including pandemic-related disruptions, and the age of the child
in question.
“We obviously took a hit with the pandemic, and it was a
reasonable hit,” said Moody. “I’m not shocked we had that dip, but we have not
recovered to the extent that I would’ve hoped.”
He further noted older children have historically been more
likely to miss a scheduled vaccination or fail to complete a vaccination series
on time.
“As you get into the older age ranges, and really we’re
talking about vaccines given between 9-15 years of age, they’re lower than they
are for younger children,” said Moody. “A lot of times, they’ll catch up or get
some of those vaccines as they’re heading off into college or go off into the
military.”
What vaccines are the most urgent to schedule my child
for?
Topping the list of the most urgent vaccinations North
Carolina children need to be up to date on is MMR for measles, Moody advised.
>> FAQ: What to know about measles
“We see that measles is out there. We obviously have the
huge out breaks in Texas, we’ve had pockets across the country, there’s a huge
outbreak going on in Canada right now – and we’re just a plane ride away from everywhere,”
warned Moody. “It is so contagious it could just rip through a school before
you’ve had any opportunity to contain it.”
One dose of the MMR vaccine is
93% effective against measles, 72% effective against mumps and 97% effective
against rubella, according to the CDC. Completing the two-dose series bumps protection
for measles up to 97% and 86% for mumps.
Moody says parents should also prioritize these vaccinations,
among others recommended by the CDC, in their child’s first few years of life:
- DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis)
- Haemophilus influenzae (Hib)
Moody also recommended starting the four-dose series of the pneumococcal
(PCV) vaccine.
In teens and preteens, the pediatrician advises vaccinations
for meningococcal and human papillomavirus (HPV).
Does my child need a COVID or flu vaccine right now?
When it comes to a recommendation for an annual flu and
COVID shot, Moody said he strongly believes they are effective in reducing
serious illness.
However, the pediatrician argued that being up to date on
MMR should be a higher priority for families at the current moment.
“If the decision is going to be to get the MMR and get good
immunity to that, and something else, I’m going to get the MMR. That’s the
thing that really could become a public health disaster,” he stated.
Why schedule an appointment for my child now?
Returning to the classroom can be a prime time for illnesses
to spread, especially among children who are unvaccinated.
Immunity can take a few weeks to build, so pediatricians
urge parents to get children up to date now, before respiratory viruses surge
in late fall and winter.
“One of the things we know is when you bring people together
who have not been together recently, they essentially swap bugs,” Moody said. “We
are all carrying around things, we are all shedding things, and we know when we
bring people together, they will start swapping things around. Any of the susceptible
individuals can potentially come down with it and get sick.”
How do I know the recommended vaccines are safe for my
child?
“Talk to your pediatrician,” Moody simply replied when asked
the same question by WRAL.
The physician offered his own services, encouraging
people to call him with their questions or contact other reputable infectious
disease experts working locally within local health systems.
The doctor also warned of misinformation online and advised
parents to take their questions directly to their licensed family doctor.
When asked how he navigates conversations about
misinformation with parents, Moody stated, “I think it’s tough. We have to get
better at saying, ‘Here’s what the truth is and here’s what the data show.’”
He continued, “Nobody is making these decisions because they
think they’re making the wrong decision. Part of what I would try to do is talk to them
about actual risks and actual benefits.”
Using MMR as an example, Moody shared he would explain to
parents and patients, “If you’re susceptible to measles and you get it, there’s
about a 20% chance of going into the hospital.”
He continued, “When you’re talking about the vaccine, there
are people who can have reactions to it, and a very small number of people who
can have a fever.”
Severe complications from the MMR vaccine are “exceedingly
rare,” the physician stated.
“Vaccines don’t make money, that’s just the truth,” Moody
noted. “We’re doing it because we don’t want to see these kids going to the
hospital. We don’t want to see these kids with the long-term complications that
we know can come up from measles.”
Moody also added he encourages those with vaccination concerns
based on religious beliefs to get involved in local scientific research efforts to find
new ways to protect against infectious diseases.
“These things are done the way they are done because that’s
how we did them in the past, but it doesn’t mean we can’t do them a different way,”
said Moody. “Help me find a better way to do it. That’s what we want as scientists
is to find better ways of doing things.”
Moody shared the American
Academy of Pediatrics and Pediatric Infectious
Disease Society are good sources for trusted catch-up vaccine information
and data for interested parents.
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