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, The Ohio State University
9 April 2022

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

Competing Interests: None declared.
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