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Q&A
Decrease in children's vaccination rates
0:59:00
ยท
130 sec
Council Member Lynn Schulman inquires about the decrease in children's vaccination rates. Acting Commissioner Michelle Morse explains the current situation and efforts to improve vaccination rates.
- The percentage of children aged 19-35 months with up-to-date immunizations decreased from 61.5% to 57.4% in the first four months of fiscal 2025
- There's a national and local trend of decreased childhood vaccination rates
- The measles, mumps, rubella vaccination rate for 2-year-olds is about 81%, down from 94% a few years ago
- By kindergarten, vaccination rates reach about 96%
- DOHMH is partnering with pediatricians, communities, and families to improve vaccination rates
- DOHMH will provide a breakdown of vaccination rates by neighborhood to help target efforts
Lynn Schulman
0:59:00
with The PMMR outlines a couple of performance indicators related to children's vaccinations.
0:59:07
One indicator, the percentage of children aged 19 30 five months with up to date immunizations decreased from sixty one point five percent in the first four months of fiscal twenty twenty four to fifty seven point four percent in the first four months of fiscal twenty five.
0:59:21
Can you explain this decrease?
Michelle Morse
0:59:23
Yes.
0:59:24
Thank you for that question.
0:59:25
We have unfortunately seen a national trend and a local trend of decreased childhood vaccination rates.
0:59:32
It is certainly of concern to us.
0:59:35
We have a number of ways that we engage families, communities, and providers around how to improve those vaccination rates.
0:59:42
Our data tells us that pediatricians are the most trusted messengers when it comes to childhood vaccination rates.
0:59:51
So we are continuing to partner with them to make sure that we improve those vaccination rates.
0:59:56
The number that I will emphasize is that when we look at 24, our measles, mumps, rubella vaccination vaccination rate is about eighty one percent right now for kids who are 24.
1:00:09
A few years ago, it was ninety four percent.
1:00:12
So we have over the years seen a decrease in even measles, mumps, and rubella vaccination rates across the city.
1:00:21
And again, we have a number of levers that we are pulling to try to partner with providers and communities and families to make sure those vaccination rates improve.
1:00:31
The good news is children start kindergarten our vaccination rates are about ninety six percent for childhood vaccination.
1:00:40
But we want two year olds to be up to date.
1:00:44
We don't want to wait until they're entering kindergarten.
Lynn Schulman
1:00:47
Is there a way to do a breakdown by neighborhoods of how the vaccination rates are?
1:00:55
Because we can help as council members and see and put you together with some of the folks in the community too.
1:01:03
If there is a way we can do that breakdown, that would be helpful.
Michelle Morse
1:01:08
We will definitely follow-up on that.
Lynn Schulman
1:01:10
Okay, great.