The Number of Children Not Getting Vaccinated in the US Is on the Rise, According to the CDC

Get the Full StoryA recent report released from the CDC found that the number of children getting vaccinated in the US is on the decline. The report stated that although more than 90 percent of children between 19 and 35 months old were vaccinated in 2017, experts are seeing the number of children not vaccinated by 24 months gradually increase.

According to the CDC's immunization guidelines, toddlers should be vaccinated against 14 diseases, including polio, hepatitis B, measles, and the mumps, by age 3. Although most parents had their young children vaccinated in 2017, researchers found that some moms and dads did not keep their kids up to date with shots for hepatitis A and rotavirus.

Related:

There's Not Much to Debate About the Great Vaccination Debate

The report also discovered that geographic location may impact immunization rates. "In 2017, coverage with most recommended vaccines among children aged 19 to 35 months remained stable and high, but was lower in more rural areas and among uninsured or Medicaid-insured children," said the report. "A small but increasing proportion of children received no vaccines by age 24 months."

Although researchers found that the number of children who haven't had any vaccinations by age 2 was small in the grand scheme of things, it's part of a larger trend. The rate of children who hadn't received any immunizations by 24 months rose from 0.9 percent for kids born in 2011 to 1.3 percent of babies born in 2015.

Related:

Many Kids Aren't Getting Vaccinated - and It Has Nothing to Do With Antivaxxers

And yes, this trend is very concerning, especially for infants who are too young to get vaccinated and for kids with compromised immune systems.

The CDC suggests that giving parents in rural or disadvantaged communities vaccines for free or at a discounted price will likely help increase the vaccination rate in the US.

"Vaccination coverage among young children could be improved through higher participation by both children and providers in the Vaccines for Children program," said the report. "Consistent access to health insurance is another important element of the immunization safety net."

Share: