According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, immunization rates for the majority of the recommended preventable long-standing vaccines are either being sustained or have climbed above 90 % for children aged 19-35 months.

Anne Schuchat, M.D., Director of CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases commented:

“Today’s report is reassuring because it means that most parents are protecting their young children from diseases that can cause widespread and sometimes severe harm. We recommend vaccinations because they are one of the most effective, safest ways to keep children healthy.”

The 2010 National Immunization Survey (NIS) evaluated over 17,000 households with children born between January 2007 and July 2009 and discovered that vaccinations have increased for many vaccine-preventable diseases, such as measles, mumps and rubella, rotavirus, pneumococcal disease, hepatitis A, and Haemophilus influenza type B (Hib) in comparison to the previous year. The results also showed a sustained rate or rates above 90 % for vaccinations against poliovirus, varicella (chickenpox) and the full series of hepatitis B.

Dr. Schuchat stated:

“As recent outbreaks of measles and whooping cough have shown, vaccine-preventable diseases are still around us and it is important that health care providers, community groups, and state programs support parents in assuring that children are protected from vaccine-preventable diseases.”

Immunization rates did not differ by racial or ethnic groups for most vaccines, in comparison to other health services, where significant disparities still persist between caucasians and other minorities. To the contrary, recent increases in most vaccinations among children of other racial/ethnic groups were similar to if not higher than those for white children.

Despite the attention that was placed on parents who prefer not to vaccinate their children or seek exemptions from vaccine requirements, the national survey revealed that only less than 1 % of toddlers have not been vaccinated at all.

Complete results from the 2010 National Immunization Survey can be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website.

Written by Petra Rattue