US Pharm. 2010;35(10):8.
Atlanta, GA—The CDC reports that immunization of children aged 19 to 35 months against most vaccine-preventable diseases remains high in the United States. Vaccine coverage against poliovirus, varicella (chickenpox), hepatitis B, measles, mumps, and rubella remained relatively stable and near or above the national Healthy People 2010 goal of 90% or higher. In fact, despite reports of measles outbreaks in 2008, only less than 1% of young children receive no vaccinations at all. “While it’s encouraging to see immunization rates remaining high, we know that parents have questions about vaccines and we must continue to educate parents about the importance of vaccination to help avoid future resurgences in serious, preventable illnesses,” said Anne Schuchat, MD, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.To comment on this article, contact rdavidson@uspharmacist.com.
