Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Students Fall Behind on “Routine-but-Critical” Vaccinations

  • By Matt Jones
  • 08/16/21

A news release from the Learning First Alliance suggests that one in five children missed receiving routine vaccines during the pandemic. This lapse could not only cause students to be ineligible to return to school in-person this fall, but it could lead to the loss of herd immunity against long-eradicated diseases like measles, polio and whooping cough.

A recent Blue Cross Blue Shield Survey reveals that 40 percent of parents say that their children have missed at least one vaccine during the COVID-19 pandemic. The routine vaccines against 16 serious diseases are intended both to keep the vaccinated individual safe as well as prevent an individual from passing the disease along to fellow students, teachers, staff and the community at large.

“We know that caregivers are stressed, and many have delayed doctor’s appointments or opted for telehealth appointments during the pandemic,” said Richard M. Long, Learning First Alliance executive director. “Childhood and adolescent vaccination rates in the United States have declined at an alarming rate as a result of missed appointments.”

The Learning First Alliance (LFA) has launched a new website and a public information campaign, “The Power to Protect,” to educate parents and guardians on the importance of these routine shots. It also provides information on how to receive the shots free of charge as necessary. According to a news release, LFA is a coalition of 12 national education groups that represents 10 million parents, teachers, support staff, principals, superintendents, school board members, and teacher educators.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has expanded its emergency use authorization of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to adolescents ages 12–15. Likewise, updated guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) allows the COVID-19 vaccine to be given at the same time as other routine vaccines. The COVID-19 vaccine is still optional but highly recommended.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Launches New Emergency Communications System

    The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) recently deployed a new emergency notification and incident management system for its campus, according to a news release. The university partnered with 911Cellular to launch Safe@UTC, a smartphone app allowing university officials to communicate and respond during emergency situations.

  • Illinois District Boosts Security at High-School Stadium

    Richmond-Burton Community High School in Richmond, Ill., recently announced that it has completed the redesigned entrance to its high school stadium with a new focus on school security and community engagement, according to a news release. The district partnered with Wold Architects and Engineers on the project as part of District #157’s year-long facilities master plan.

  • Image courtesy of Kahler Slater

    UW–Madison Announces Completion of Morgridge Hall

    The University of Wisconsin–Madison recently announced that construction is complete on Morgridge Hall, a new academic building, according to a news release. The facility opened September 3 at the start of the fall semester, consolidating the School of Computer, Data & Information Sciences into a single facility for the first time.

  • Full Sail University Announces First Student Housing Facility

    Full Sail University in Winter Park, Fla., recently announced that development has begun on its first student housing community, according to a news release. The university is partnering with Nvision Development for construction and long-term management of the facility, which will stand five stories and have the capacity for more than 570 beds.