To confront COVID-19, the United States needs to improve existing vaccination rates

Despite the ongoing competition for the development of the COVID-19 vaccine, even if the vaccine becomes available, the major challenge of inoculating a sufficient number of vaccines still exists.

During the 2018-2019 flu season, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 45.3% of adults and 62.6% of children in the United States. Influenza vaccine.. The COVID-19 vaccination rate must be much higher in order to create immunity to the herd.

False information and fear are two of the main causes of low vaccinations, Ruth L. Newhouse Healthcare Policy Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School’s Brabatnik Institute, and HMS clinical practice at Massachusetts. Research Fellow Chris Walsham said. General hospital that wrote about this issue in July Washington post And STAT..

But lack of access High price It also functions as a barrier.

In a study published in New England Medical Journal In July, Jena and Walsham found that children born in November were 13% more likely to get the flu vaccine than children born in July. Children celebrating their fall birthday will be vaccinated at an annual check-up, but children born at other times will need to return to the pediatrician’s clinic for consultation. Flu vaccination.. The need for a second visit seemed to be sufficient to discourage many families from receiving this important preventive care, the researchers said.

The vaccination rate is Corona virus This past spring pandemic, regular pediatric vaccination rates Dramatically fell In the United States, according to the CDC.

Many states issue home-based recommendations, requiring you not to go to your doctor’s office unless absolutely necessary. Vaccinations have encouraged parents to take their children with vaccinations that can be safely given during a pandemic, despite the CDC, doctor groups, and medical practices, but have diminished. did. Since then, the vaccination rate has been Bounced off..

Fighting COVID-19 and influenza

Preventing the spread of the flu is itself an important part of the fight against the coronavirus, doctors and public health officials say. “In the coming months, both the flu virus and the virus that causes COVID-19 are likely to be widespread,” said a CDC flu expert. In this context, influenza vaccine It will be more important than ever. “

Influenza hospitalization can quickly overwhelm hospitals in normal years, and due to the many weather and reopening of secondary school and college, we suspect that coronavirus cases will increase this winter. , Said Jena.

“It’s important to reduce the number of flu cases and hospitalizations,” he said. “Although there are not many cases of combining influenza with COVID-19, it can be particularly harmful during the flu season because there is no good cure for either infection.”

Jena also pointed out that many workers, students, and people in high-risk categories need to be tested each time they develop flu-like symptoms. Although these symptoms are most common with viruses other than the flu, he said it would still help to reduce the likelihood of these symptoms occurring due to the flu.

Creative solution

With all of these barriers, how enough people in the United States Influenza vaccine To protect the capacity of the hospital? How can I ensure that my children receive important regular vaccinations during an ongoing COVID-19 emergency? And how can potential coronavirus vaccines reach sufficient levels of vaccination to generate herd immunity?

Jena and Walsham said it could be helpful to deliver vaccinations to people through programs such as home visits by trained healthcare professionals, and public messages and plans such as the creation of “National Vaccine Day” were prevented. He added that it could be the key to increasing the number of vaccinations. They said the vaccine should be available free of charge to ensure that no one is denied the vaccine because they cannot get it.

“We need a creative solution to ensure that people don’t miss this important preventive medicine,” Jena said.