Fewer children up to date on immunizations

An observational study published in JAMA Pediatrics analyzed data from US health systems participating in the Vaccine Safety Datalink, an ongoing collaboration between health plans and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Eight health systems from California, Colorado, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington, and Washington contributed data on children 0 to 18 years from before and during the pandemic. Of the roughly 1.4 million children in 2019 and 2020, 49.0% were female, 11.9% were Asian, 32.1% were Hispanic, 7.2% were Black, and 32.4% were White.

Relative to 2019 and Jan 5 to Mar 14, 2020 (prepandemic), the period of Mar 15 to May 16, 2020 (age-limited preventive care) saw lower weekly recommended childhood vaccination rates—such as for measles, mumps, and rubella—per 1,000 population for all age-groups (eg, 160.1 in 2020 vs 194.6 in 2019 in those younger than 24 months).

Relative to the period of age-limited preventive care, weekly vaccination rates were higher in all age=groups, but still low, from May 17 to Oct 3, 2020 (expanded primary care; 160.1 per 1,000 vs 181.8).

Seventy-four percent of 7-month-old infants and 57% of those 18 months old were current on their vaccinations in September 2020, compared with 81% and 61%, respectively, in the same month the year before and 72% and 56% in May 2020.

Lower proportions of vaccinations among 13-year-old children were also observed in September (56% vs 58% in May). By September, similar proportions of 6- and 18-year-olds were as up to date on routine immunizations as those before the pandemic.