As children head back to school in Chicago and across the region, many are doing so as hesitancy grows around vaccinations.
In suburban Cook County, there are an estimated 12,000 children who are not vaccinated against measles, a figure that has doubled in the past decade, according to county officials. In Chicago Public Schools, the percentage of students vaccinated against measles fell from 97% before the coronavirus pandemic to 93% last school year, the Chicago Sun-Times previously reported.
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle recalled Wednesday how many children from her generation fell ill with diseases that are now largely eradicated because of vaccines. But Preckwinkle and other county officials are ringing the alarm and rolling out a new campaign aimed at boosting the numbers vaccinated against measles.
“We can’t take the progress we’ve seen for granted,” Preckwinkle said. “Measles is back. It’s not back because the science has changed, but simply because too many people are unvaccinated and that puts everyone at risk.”
Vaccines are typically researched for about 15 years and tested in trials with thousands of volunteers before they are released to the public, according to Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. Vaccines create antibodies that then help the body fight off a disease.
Here’s what you need to know about vaccines.
What vaccines are required in Illinois?
Children in school or at a child care facility are required to get eight vaccinations.
They are for the following diseases: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough); polio; measles, rubella and mumps; hepatitis b; haemophilus influenzae type b; invasive pneumococcal disease; varicella or the chickenpox; and meningococcal disease.
The American Academy of Pediatrics will soon release updated recommendations for vaccinations, said Dr. Anita Chandra-Puri, a Chicago-based pediatrician and spokesperson for the AAP. The group’s recommendations from last year can be found at the organization’s website, www.aap.org.
What should I know about the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine?
The first dose of the vaccine should be administered when a child is a year old, and the second dose anytime from a month later to when the child turns four, Chandra-Puri said.
After both doses, the vaccine provides lifelong protection against measles, said Dr. Kiran Joshi, the chief operating officer of the Cook County Department of Public Health.
A majority of the people who got the measles earlier this year weren’t vaccinated, Joshi said. Measles can cause pneumonia, brain damage and even blindness, and more dangerous outbreaks can happen if there are fewer people vaccinated.
“It is the most contagious disease we know of, infecting nine out of 10 unvaccinated people who are exposed,” he said. “In Cook County, measles vaccination coverage is about 96%. This is enough for community protection right now, but in the past decade the number of unvaccinated children in suburban Cook County has doubled.”
There have been investigations, in the United States and in other countries, that have found immunizations do not lead to neuropsychological concerns, such as autism, Chandra-Puri emphasized. Some of the vaccine hesitancy in recent years stems from this concern.
What do I need to know about the flu, COVID and RSV vaccine?
This year’s flu vaccine is not available yet, but Chandra-Puri said the guidance will remain the same that everyone over six months old should get it as soon as it’s available.
The American Academy of Pediatrics is waiting for guidance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration about this year’s COVID-19 booster vaccine before it issues its own guidance for children, Chandra-Puri said. This has been a subject of controversy on the federal level.
Infants should continue to get immunization against RSV, and typically the season where doctors in Chicago see more children contract the respiratory virus starts in October and goes through March, Chandra-Puri said.
Will health insurance continue to cover vaccines?
So far, the American Academy of Pediatrics has not heard of cases in Chicago or across the country of parents having trouble accessing a vaccine for their child, Chandra-Puri said.
But there is concern that some vaccines could be harder to access in the future if the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s vaccine recommendations for children leave out certain ones. In particular, Chandra-Puri said they are concerned about less accessibility for those using the Vaccines for Children program, a federally-funded, state-administered program that provides free vaccinations for children.
“Right now, vaccines are available and vaccines are covered,” she said. “And vaccines, we know are important, and so it’s really important to go in and get your vaccines.”
What should parents concerned about unvaccinated children know?
If a parent is worried their child will be around unvaccinated students, Chandra-Puri recommends they talk with other parents to encourage vaccination. She also encourages parents to stay updated on the recommendations from their schools. In addition, children can practice good hygiene and stay home if they are feeling unwell to prevent diseases from spreading.
Although no vaccine is 100% effective, Chandra-Puri stressed it still works to combat disease.
“It still mitigates or minimizes the complications from an illness,” she said. “For example, with the flu vaccine, people often think, ‘Well, I still can get the flu even if I get the flu vaccine.’ That is true, you still may get the flu, but you will more than likely not get as sick from the flu. So it really ameliorates or decreases how significant the illness is.”
What resources are available for Chicago area residents?
Cook County residents, regardless of age and immigration status, can call (312) 864-1111 to make an appointment with Cook County Health Express Care for vaccinations.
Parents can also follow the Cook County Department of Public Health on Facebook for information about free vaccination clinics hosted in collaboration with area schools.
Medical experts also strongly advise parents to speak to their pediatrician about any immunization concerns rather than relying on social media influencers.