HOUSTON — Why do medical experts say that millions of young lives are now at risk?
According to a new report, the world saw the largest drop in routine childhood vaccines in 30 years. That means millions of children around the world missed some or all their childhood vaccinations in the past two years.
That combined with rapidly rising rates of malnutrition puts millions of young lives at risk globally. UNICEF says it is a children’s health emergency that sadly will lead to deaths.
Pandemic and misinformation
So why was there such a big drop? Experts blame pandemic lockdowns, misinformation campaigns and resources normally used for childhood vaccines being diverted to COVID vaccinations.
UNICEF had hoped that vaccinations would rebound after a drop in 2020 as healthy systems learned to adapt to COVID. But instead the problem got worse. Vaccinations for measles, polio and tetanus all dropped significantly.
The drop in vaccinations is not just in far-off places.
The number of seventh graders in Texas who received their pertussis and meningitis vaccines for the last school year dropped more than five percent.
There was a three percent drop in measles and mumps vaccinations and close to three percent in polio protection. All in the Lone Star State. Right now, health experts say education is the best way to stop this troubling trend.