Childhood Vaccine Exemptions Spike During Pandemic, CDC Report Finds
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a report on Thursday showing that childhood vaccine exemptions are at an all-time high, with a spike seen since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the report, North Carolina had a 2.4% exemption rate during the 2022-23 school year, which is a 0.5% increase from the previous year. In total, forty states across the country saw an increase in vaccine exemptions.
In North Carolina, vaccinations are required before students can attend school. The CDC report found that 3% of children entering kindergarten during the 2022-2023 school year were granted a vaccine exemption from the state.
Local pediatricians have raised concerns about the increasing exemption rate and emphasized the importance of vaccinations.
Dr. Lori Langdon, a pediatrician, stated, “It’s important to know that the majority of people are not refusing vaccines. The majority of people are protecting their own child and the majority of children around their child by receiving the recommended vaccines.”
The CDC report did not cite specific reasons for the increased exemptions, but pediatricians like Langdon attribute the rise to distrust around vaccinations that started during the pandemic.
“We have noticed an increasing number of people who refuse vaccines to protect their child,” Langdon said. “We worry a lot about this because many of the times we investigate and their beliefs and opinions are based on disinformation they received on the internet.”
According to the CDC, North Carolina’s childhood vaccination rates are at or above 95%, which is a crucial threshold for herd immunity. Dr. Sherali Parmar with Cornerstone Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine expressed concerns about the rising exemption rates potentially increasing the risk of vaccine-preventable outbreaks.
Parmar has been practicing for 16 years and has seen an increase in questions from patients regarding vaccinations, which she welcomes.
“In general, I would say 97% of our patient families are sticking with the schedule that’s prescribed,” Parmar said. “But we do have families that express hesitancy or would like to delay vaccinations.”
The CDC report serves as a reminder of the importance of vaccinations and the potential risks associated with rising exemption rates. Pediatricians continue to educate and advocate for the benefits of vaccination in protecting public health.