A decline in childhood vaccination rates has led to an increase in preventable diseases in New Jersey and across the country, according to infectious disease experts. That issue is a focal point for the state Department of Health this week as it marks the annual National Infant Immunization Week along with World Immunization Week honored every April.
Officials are ramping up efforts to inform parents about the importance of keeping up with vaccine appointments for young children and infants, and the role vaccinations play globally as diseases once considered eliminated have made a comeback.
“There is no question that New Jersey can protect our children best by getting them immunized,” Dr. Meg Fisher, a pediatric infectious disease specialist and special adviser to the New Jersey Department of Health, said in an interview with NJ Spotlight News.
“The reason is a baby is born with the mother’s protection, so whatever your mother is immune to, you’re immune to for about the first six months of life. But that gift isn’t the gift that keeps on giving,” said Fisher, who is also a board member of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
“Every month you have less protection. So it’s vital that we get our young infants immunized to keep them safe,” Fisher said. “Not only do we have measles going through the whole country, but we also have pertussis, which is whooping cough. And we’ve had a couple of deaths due to pertussis. These are preventable diseases,” she said.
Fisher’s message to parents concerned about the vaccination schedule is, “Not immunizing is not putting your child at less risk. By choosing not to immunize, you actually put your child at increased risk.”
