Q&A
Impact of potential changes to childhood vaccination schedules and DOHMH efforts to maintain high vaccination rates
1:18:21
ยท
125 sec
Council Member Moya inquires about the potential impact of changes to childhood vaccination schedules on herd immunity and risks to vulnerable populations. Dr. Michelle Morse explains DOHMH's efforts to maintain high vaccination rates and educate the public.
- Very few exemptions exist for the measles vaccine
- DOHMH conducts extensive outreach in communities and schools to encourage vaccination
- Newborn home visiting programs engage parents on vaccination
- Pediatricians are the most trusted source of information for parents
- DOHMH partners with pediatricians to provide support and multilingual information
- Continued efforts to educate the public about vaccine safety, efficacy, and importance
Francisco P. Moya
1:18:21
So going with that, schedule, how could those changes to the childhood vaccination guidance and immunization schedule impact herd immunity, in New York City in both the short term and long term, plan?
1:18:37
And what risks would any such changes pose to children and adults who are unable to be vaccinated due to age or medical reasons?
Dr. Michelle Morse
1:18:47
There are very, very, very rare exemptions for the measles vaccine, so almost no one would be exempt from the measles vaccine.
1:18:57
What I will say is that we are concerned about the low rate of childhood vaccination and the low rate of measles vaccinations.
1:19:05
Regardless of changes at the federal level, our work at the New York City Health Department continues.
1:19:10
We do, extensive outreach in communities across the city, including in New York City public schools to encourage, vaccination.
1:19:21
We also do so in child care centers, etcetera.
1:19:24
So our educational campaigns continues.
1:19:26
In fact, our newborn home visiting programs, our home visiting programs also engage around vaccination, and encourage parents to vaccinate their children.
1:19:36
Pediatricians are the most trusted source of information for parents and kids.
1:19:42
That's been proven over and over again.
1:19:44
We partner very closely with pediatricians across the city to make sure they have the support they need from us.
1:19:50
Information in every language available, every language possible, and rapidly available information to make sure that their patients are well informed about both the safety of the measles vaccine as well as the risks of a measles outbreak.
1:20:07
So we hope we intend for that work to continue, and we intend to continue all of our efforts in educating the public about the safety, efficacy, and importance of childhood vaccination as well as other vaccinations.
Francisco P. Moya
1:20:22
Great.
1:20:22
Thank you so much.
Dr. Michelle Morse
1:20:23
Thank you.
Francisco P. Moya
1:20:24
I'll turn it over back to chair Shulman.
Lynn Schulman
1:20:25
Yeah.