According to government research released on Thursday, child vaccination rates in the United States plummeted during the COVID-19 pandemic as many children avoided doctors appointments and state relaxed immunization regulations during remote learning. 

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that vaccination coverage among kindergartners nationwide for three mandatory immunizations was around 1% lower during the 2020-21 school year than the previous school year.

The researchers looked at vaccination coverage for three common vaccines: the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps, and rubella; the DTaP vaccine, which protects against diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis; and the varicella vaccine, which protects against chickenpox. According to the CDC, coverage for all three immunizations fell to roughly 94 percent in a majority of states, barely shy of the objective of 95 percent. The analysis included data from state and local immunization programs in 47 states and the District of Columbia for the 2020-21 school year. The researchers highlighted that their data had certain limitations, such as differences in state vaccine regulations and documentation processes, the omission of three states, and pandemic-related hurdles, such as the transition to virtual learning. (ETHealthworld, April 22, 2022)