Silent Consequences of COVID-19: Why It’s Critical to Recover Routine Vaccination Rates Through Equitable Vaccine Policies and Practices

Ava Skolnik; Alexandra Bhatti; Anna Larson; Rachel Mitrovich

doi:10.1370/afm.2730

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RE: Silent Consequences of COVID-19: Why It’s Critical to Recover Routine Vaccination Rates Through Equitable Vaccine Policies and Practices
Mayuri S Srikanth and Lorraine S Wallace

Published on: 09 April 2022
Might COVID-19 vaccination adverse events affect routine vaccination adherence?
VICTOR O. KOLADE and Rebecca E. Marcus

Published on: 22 January 2022

Published on: (9 April 2022)
Page navigation anchor for RE: Silent Consequences of COVID-19: Why It’s Critical to Recover Routine Vaccination Rates Through Equitable Vaccine Policies and Practices
RE: Silent Consequences of COVID-19: Why It’s Critical to Recover Routine Vaccination Rates Through Equitable Vaccine Policies and Practices
Mayuri S Srikanth, Undergraduate, The Ohio State University
Other Contributors:
Lorraine S Wallace, Associate Professor- College of Medicine
As of April 3rd, 2022, 65.6% of eligible Americans are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.1 While US COVID-19 vaccination rates lag behind countries such as Canada,2 far reaching and persistent population-based efforts have resulted in steady vaccination uptake over the past year. However, as Skolnik and colleagues have clearly articulated, one of the silent consequences of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has been widespread decreases in receipt of routine childhood vaccinations, including measles-mumps-rubella, diphtheria tetanus, polio, human papillomavirus, acellular pertussis (DTa) and meningitis. Delayed and/or lack of routine vaccinations pose increased infectious disease risks across the United States. Furthermore, decreased vaccination uptake could ultimately further drive health-related disparities among vulnerable populations.

As Skolnik et al. have highlighted, the need is great for robust and equitable vaccination education and centralized vaccination reminder protocols. Currently, I am studying the importance and general uptake of vaccines in several of my classes. I have deduced that although many individuals are fearful of the COVID-19 vaccine, they have and/or are willing to receive other vaccines. I am curious to see how this dynamic will affect future population vaccination rates in the US in years to come.

Colleges are an important avenue in promoting vaccination uptake among young adults.3 College health centers could play a pivotal rol...
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As of April 3rd, 2022, 65.6% of eligible Americans are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.1 While US COVID-19 vaccination rates lag behind countries such as Canada,2 far reaching and persistent population-based efforts have resulted in steady vaccination uptake over the past year. However, as Skolnik and colleagues have clearly articulated, one of the silent consequences of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has been widespread decreases in receipt of routine childhood vaccinations, including measles-mumps-rubella, diphtheria tetanus, polio, human papillomavirus, acellular pertussis (DTa) and meningitis. Delayed and/or lack of routine vaccinations pose increased infectious disease risks across the United States. Furthermore, decreased vaccination uptake could ultimately further drive health-related disparities among vulnerable populations.

As Skolnik et al. have highlighted, the need is great for robust and equitable vaccination education and centralized vaccination reminder protocols. Currently, I am studying the importance and general uptake of vaccines in several of my classes. I have deduced that although many individuals are fearful of the COVID-19 vaccine, they have and/or are willing to receive other vaccines. I am curious to see how this dynamic will affect future population vaccination rates in the US in years to come.

Colleges are an important avenue in promoting vaccination uptake among young adults.3 College health centers could play a pivotal role in increasing vaccine awareness and offering convenient vaccination services to students and their families.

References
1. Mayo Clinic. US COVID-19 vaccine tracker: see your state’s progress. Accessed April 5, 2022.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/coronavirus-covid-19/vaccine-tracker

2. Johns Hopkins University & Medicine. Coronavirus resource center: Canada Overview. Accessed April 5, 2022. https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/region/canada

3. Caleb S, Thompson D, Haimowitz R, Ciotoli C, Dannenbaum M, Fu LY. How colleges intervene to increase student body vaccination coverage. J Am Coll Health. 2022;70(2):428-435. 10.1080/07448481.2020.1752698
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Competing Interests: None declared.
Published on: (22 January 2022)
Page navigation anchor for Might COVID-19 vaccination adverse events affect routine vaccination adherence?
Might COVID-19 vaccination adverse events affect routine vaccination adherence?
VICTOR O. KOLADE, Internist, THE GUTHRIE CLINIC
Other Contributors:
Rebecca E. Marcus, Student
This report by Skolnik et al. (1) is concerning, yet plausible given the reduction in in-person ambulatory visits during the COVID-19 pandemic (2). Among a subset of patients who had either in-person or telemedicine visits in November-December 2020, we found a net shift in intent to receive influenza vaccination for the 2020-2021 influenza season (3), which mirrored nationwide estimates among adults (4). However, our survey ran in tandem with the introduction of vaccines against COVID-19 in the United States, and the effect of that ongoing vaccination program on routine vaccination against influenza and other vaccine preventable disease is not known. Will persons who experienced significant adverse events to COVID-19 vaccines reduce their adherence to other vaccine schedules?
References
1. Skolnik A, Bhatti A, Larson A, Mitrovich R. Silent Consequences of COVID-19: Why It's Critical to Recover Routine Vaccination Rates Through Equitable Vaccine Policies and Practices. Ann Fam Med. 2021 Nov-Dec;19(6):527-531. doi: 10.1370/afm.2730.
2. Gorin SNS, Jimbo M, Heizelman R, Harmes KM, Harper DM. The future of cancer screening after COVID-19 may be at home. Cancer. 2021 Feb 15;127(4):498-503. doi: 10.1002/cncr.33274. Erratum in: Cancer. 2021 Nov 15;127(22):4315.
3. Marcus RE, Kolade VO. Influenza Vaccination During COVID-19 in a Rural Community: A Cross-sectional Survey. J Community Health. 2021 Oct 13:1–6. doi: 10.1007/s10900-021-01036-6.
4. Cent...
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This report by Skolnik et al. (1) is concerning, yet plausible given the reduction in in-person ambulatory visits during the COVID-19 pandemic (2). Among a subset of patients who had either in-person or telemedicine visits in November-December 2020, we found a net shift in intent to receive influenza vaccination for the 2020-2021 influenza season (3), which mirrored nationwide estimates among adults (4). However, our survey ran in tandem with the introduction of vaccines against COVID-19 in the United States, and the effect of that ongoing vaccination program on routine vaccination against influenza and other vaccine preventable disease is not known. Will persons who experienced significant adverse events to COVID-19 vaccines reduce their adherence to other vaccine schedules?
References
1. Skolnik A, Bhatti A, Larson A, Mitrovich R. Silent Consequences of COVID-19: Why It's Critical to Recover Routine Vaccination Rates Through Equitable Vaccine Policies and Practices. Ann Fam Med. 2021 Nov-Dec;19(6):527-531. doi: 10.1370/afm.2730.
2. Gorin SNS, Jimbo M, Heizelman R, Harmes KM, Harper DM. The future of cancer screening after COVID-19 may be at home. Cancer. 2021 Feb 15;127(4):498-503. doi: 10.1002/cncr.33274. Erratum in: Cancer. 2021 Nov 15;127(22):4315.
3. Marcus RE, Kolade VO. Influenza Vaccination During COVID-19 in a Rural Community: A Cross-sectional Survey. J Community Health. 2021 Oct 13:1–6. doi: 10.1007/s10900-021-01036-6.
4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Flu vaccination coverage, United States, 2020–21 influenza season. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/fluvaxview/coverage-2021estimates.htm. Accessed January 16, 2022.
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Competing Interests: None declared.