HJAR Jul/Aug 2020

40 JUL / AUG 2020 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS CHILDREN’S HEALTH COLUMN CHILDREN’S HEALTH A RECENT REPORT in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report documented decreases in all childhood non-influenza and measles-containing vaccine doses ordered, as well as in measles-containing vaccine doses administered from January 6 to April 19, 2020, compared to the cognate period of January 7 to April 21, 2019 1 . The decline in vaccine doses ordered and administered became most pronounced following the March 13 emergency declaration. Over the period studied, approximately 400,000 doses less of measles-containing vaccines were ordered for the current year, compared to the previous. Similarly, there has been a decrease of approximately three million childhood non-influenza vaccine doses. Information from the Vaccine Safety Datalink confirms a drop in the number THE SARS-CoV-2 PANDEMIC AND ITS IMPACT ON CHILDHOOD IMMUNIZATIONS of administrations of measles-containing vaccine doses for the period under evaluation. The reduction in measles- containing vaccine doses administered was observed for both children 24 months of age or younger, and those older than 24 months. This indicates a decrease in both the primary and booster doses of measles vaccine was occurring. However, the decrease was less pronounced, yet still significant, in those children 24 months of age or younger. A reason for the observed decreases could lie in parental concerns for exposure to SARS-CoV-2 outside of the home environment. Recommendations for social distancing and sheltering in place may have been misinterpreted to include avoidance of health care provider offices or vaccine venues. These findings indicate that U.S. children and their communities might face an increased risk for outbreaks José R. Romero, MD Director, Pediatric Infectious Diseases University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences The COVID-19 (CO- corona, VI- virus, D- disease, 19- 2019) pandemic, due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has disrupted health care in a way that previous pandemics have not. The two previous pandemics of the 21st century (2003, SAR pandemic [SARS- CoV virus] and 2009, H1N1 pandemic [H1N1pdm09 virus]) and the pandemics of the latter half of the 20th century did not impact health care the way COVID-19 has. This impact has been particularly notable when it comes to childhood immunizations.