The trend during this current coronavirus crisis has been to avoid the public spots and even the non emergency medical visits. In fact, the effect of the covid 19 pandemic has been such that parents are a bit nervous in taking the children to the doctors in the fear that it could espouse them to this virus threat. There have been numerous cancellation orders for children checkups here in the United States and that has had a negative impact on the vaccine market. The vaccine rates by country were already low in the United States and it seems to have plummeted more.
A look at the reasons for rates to fall:
As the pandemic hit the United States there was just panic amidst parents and this resulted in a sharp dip in appointments in pediatrician offices. The drop in visits from families was alarming and in the rate of 50 to 70%. Two thirds of American parents were scared that the little one may be impacted by this virus. A testing time was when California had a shelter in place order. The vaccine facts and statistics tells us that the rates dropped by 80% around that time.
The trend is slowly changing:
The trend is changing and one can get an idea of the vaccine statistics figure in the latter months of this pandemic. The increase in visits to pediatrician offices has picked up in terms of percentage but it is still nowhere near the pre covid levels. There is still a virus fear persisting within a large section of American society.
What precisely do the experts fear?
The vaccine rates by the country 2020 are still at a significantly low level and this does augur well for the health of children. It is over the years Americans have built herd immunity against plenty of deadly diseases. However, the falling vaccine rates just play spoilt sport for years of hard work, medical planning done by the country. A look back at history will tell that communities, which have an immunization rate of 85 to 90%, have had to deal with medical problems ranging from measles to rubella. There is always the fear that low rates of vaccine may just signal the return of vaccine preventable diseases.
Why is herd immunity important?
We spoke to an expert and he explained that herd immunity keeps the toddler’s safe. A decline in herd immunity within children will lead to a return of measles and cough. These two health hazards will impact your kid more than Covid. The flu season should start from October and this should be the biggest threat for children’s health. We are still about a month and a half away but you must not delay the kid’s appointment with the doctor. The flu similar to Covid can stretch the hospital limits and hence it is important for the kid to have a flu vaccine.
We would like to state that as a parent you are surely concerned about the little one catching covid and your fear is justified. However, it will be foolish to cancel pediatrician appointments for the kid because this way you are inviting health trouble for the child, from a different source altogether.
