Vaccine coverage for children declined across eight different inoculations.
The greatest declines were seen for vaccines against influenza, rotavirus, and pneumococcal disease. Influenza decreased 7.4%, to 53.5%; rotavirus decreased 1.7%, to 74.2%, and pneumococcal disease dropped 1.5%, to 80.5%. Lower coverage was also seen for hepatitis A, hepatitis B, chickenpox, Haemophilus influenzae type b, and polio.
The data, reported by the CDC, was collected in 2024 and focused on vaccines for those under two years old. The agency argued that “[m]aintaining high levels of vaccination and improving coverage among groups and in areas in which rates have declined could help protect children from vaccine-preventable morbidity and mortality.”
Earlier this year, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the CDC scaled back their vaccine recommendations, dropping them from 17 to 10. The ten vaccines are considered to be of international consensus and include diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis (whooping cough), Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), Pneumococcal conjugate, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, and human papillomavirus (HPV). HHS also recommends that children receive the chickenpox vaccine. High-risk groups are recommended to receive the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), hepatitis A, hepatitis B, dengue, meningococcal ACWY, and meningococcal B vaccines.
Healthcare workers are also receiving fewer vaccines, according to a 2024 report. The CDC’s data revealed that only 15.3% of acute hospital workers and 10.5% of nursing home personnel received a COVID-19 vaccine for that cold and flu season. During the 2022-2023 season, 17.8% of acute hospital workers and 22.8% nursing home personnel received a COVID-19 vaccine.
While flu vaccine rates were greater than the rates of COVID-19 vaccination, overall rates were “persistently below the levels during the prepandemic period.”
