Kids vaccine burden isn t

Related articles

The two dozen vaccines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for kids before age 2 do not cause any significant increase in the risk of health problems, a government-advisory body stated yesterday.

A committee of the Institute of Medicine a nonprofit that advises the government on health and science issues examined research on traditional and alternative schedules and found no evidence of health problems for kids on the recommended vaccine schedule. The panel, which is made up of 14 physicians and academics, also stated that there isn't any credible research that explores whether it is acceptable to deviate from the recommended schedule.

Pediatricians and public health officials are always fighting anti-vaccine mythology, which has contributed to unacceptably low vaccination rates in some regions. If immunization rates go below a certain threshold in the population, communicable diseases can spread a particular concern for infants too young to be vaccinated and for children with compromised immune systems. For example, in recent years in the U.S., there have been several outbreaks of whooping cough, even though there is a vaccine for that disease. Health officials agree that most of those cases are related to kids not being immunized, although the latest vaccine s protective effect does wane with time.

Also, for all of our readers interested in ACSH s petition calling upon New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation to mandate the influenza vaccination for all health care workers, here s an update. ACSH staffers this morning spoke with two members of the executive board of NYC HHC and we were gratified to learn that they are on the same page as us, agreeing that the flu vaccine should be mandated for all health care workers. Stay tuned as we will keep you updated on further communication and action pertaining to this issue.