Child Vaccinations Down Due to COVID-19

How the pandemic is impacting vaccination rates and why it has one parent worried.

DECREASE INROUTINEVACCINATIONS FORCHILDREN.LOCAL HEALTHOFFICIALS SAYVACCINATIONS FORPREVENTABLEILLNESSES LIKEMEASLES ANDWHOOPING COUGHARE DOWN -CREATING ADANGEROUSSITUATION FORVULNERABLECHILDREN.REPORTER RUTAULCINATIE HAS MOREON TODAY'S EDITIONOF THE REBOUND -HEARTLAND--MOTHERS' WEEK.ASHLEY HERRINGGAVE BIRTH TO HERDAUGHTER ALEXIAJUST A FEW WEEKSAGO.SHE'S DOINGEVERYTHING SHE CANTO PROTECT HER ANDHER SON GUNNERFROM COVID-19, EVENDECLINING THECHANCE FOR FAMILYTO COME VISIT IN ATYPICAL FASHION.ASHLEY HERRING -MOM OF TWO14:30 "THAT'S MYHUSBAND'S MOM ANDHIS SISTER.IT WAS REALLYHEARTBREAKING FORUS.THEY WANT TO MEETAND HOLD OURDAUGHTER AND SEEOUR SON." ASHLEY ISLOOKING OUT FORHER CHILDREN -- ANDALSO GETTING THEMVACCINATED, BUTWHAT WORRIES HER,IS THAT OTHERPARENTS ARE NOT.ASHLEY HERRING -MOM OF TWO 20:59"MY DAUGHTER ISTHREE WEEKS OLDTODAY, SHE CAN'THAVE ALL THEVACCINES YET SHE'SON HER SCHEDULE.I WOULD HATE TOSEND HER OFF TODAYCARE AND HAVEHER GET SOMETHINGFROM AN OLDER KID."ACCORDING TO THECENTERS FORDISEASE CONTROL,CHILD VACCINATIONSHAVE PLUMMETEDSINCE THE START OFTHE OUTBREAK.NEW FINDINGS FROMTHE CDC SHOW THATDOCTORS AREORDERING ABOUT 2.5MILLION FEWERDOSES OF VACCINESFOR PREVENTABLEDISEASES DUE TOLACK OF DEMAND.STANDUP 42:23"ANDNEBRASKA IS SEEINGA SIMILAR TREND.WE SPOKE WITHPEDIATRICIANS ALLACROSS THE METROAND THEY'VE SEEN ADROP IN NUMBERS ASWELL." DR.SHANNON GODSIL -PEDIATRICIAN,CHILDREN'SPHYSICIANS VALVERDE 03:16 "WE'REABOUT SEEING ABOUTHALF OF WHAT WEUSUALLY DO IN THISTIME FRAME."DATA FROM THENEBRASKADEPARTMENT OFHEALTH AND HUMANSERVICES SHOWSTHAT CHILDVACCINATION RATESDROPPED 10 TO 35PERCENT -DEPENDING ON AGE.THE REASONS FORTHE DROP MOSTLYHAVE TO DO WITHFEAR OF EXPOSURETO COVID-19.ERIN WILLIS LOUCKS -PEDIATRICIAN,CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL04:48 "PARENTS HAVECONCERNS ABOUTCOMING INTO A CLINICWHERE THEY COULDBE EXPOSED TOINFECTION." BUTHEALTH PROVIDERSARE TAKING DRASTICSTEPS TO MINIMIZERISK ATAPPOINTMENTS.DR.SHANNON GODSIL -GENERALPEDIATRICIAN,CHILDREN'SPHYSICIANS VALVERDE 04:26 "THERE'SSOME OF OUROFFICES THAT AREDOING SPLIT DAYSWHERE HALF OF THEDAY IS WELL VISITS,HALF OF THE DAY ISSICK VISITS.AND THERE'S ALSOPHSICALLY SPLITOFFICES THAT AREONLY SEEING WELLVISITS AND SOMETHAT ARE ONLYSEEING SICK SO THATTHERE IS NO CROSSCONTAMINATION."WITH CHILDREN NOTGETTING THEIRREGULAR VACCINES,DOCTORS WORRYTHAT A PREVENTABLEOUTBREAK OFDISEASES LIKEMEASLES OR MUMPSWILL ADD TO THEDIFFICULTIES OFALREADY DEALINGWITH A PANDEMIC.SHANNON GODSIL -GENERALPEDIATRICIAN,CHILDREN'SPHYSICIANS VALVERDE 02:52 "WHATWOULD BE VERYDIFFICULT IS TRYINGTO MANAGE NOT ONLYTHE UNCERTAINTIESOF COVID-19, BUTSOME OF THESEUNCERTAINTIES OFTHESE VACCINEPREVENTABLEDISEASES THAT WEHAVEN'T SEEN IN ALONG TIME."ASHLEY HERRING -MOM OF TWO 19:40"MY STANCE ON IT ISVACCINES AREIMPORTANT AND LET'SKEEP IT AT ONEPANDEMIC NOT TWO."CALL YOURPEDIATRICIAN TO FINDA RIGHT TIME ANDPLACE TO COME INFOR VACCINATIONS,BECASUE EVENTHOUGH THESPOTLIGHT IS ONCOVID-19, OTHERILLNESSES DO HAVETHE ABILITY TOAFFECT THE HEALTHOF YOUR CHILD.REPORTING INOMAHA, RUTAULCINAITE, 3NN.THE AMERICANACADEMY OFPEDIATRICS HASLAUNCHED A DIGITALCAMPAIGN CALLED"CALL YOURPEDIATRICIAN" - TOURGE PARENTS TOCONTACT THEIRCHILD'S DOCTOR ANDGET REASSURANCETHAT COMING IN FORVACCINATIONS ISIMPORTANT AND SAFE.WE'LL HAVE MOREINFORMATION ON OURWEBSITE AT 3-NEWS-NOW-DOT-COM.PARENTS ARESTRUGGLI