PROVIDENCE, RI — While school and doctor office shutdowns have limited the spread of COVID-19 during the pandemic, they’ve also led to fewer children getting routine immunizations, a mounting concern as districts decide whether and to what degree to return to in-person learning this fall.
“The closures of doctor’s offices, coupled with changing routines and closures of immunization clinics in schools, led to a nearly 50 percent drop in immunizations in March, April and May compared to the previous year. Working with our pediatricians, we launched an aggressive campaign to turn that trend around, and by June we were only 8 percent below the previous year – a dramatic improvement, but there’s still more work to do,” wrote Gov. Gina M. Raimondo Tuesday.
Only 75 percent of students entering Kindergarten this year have all their necessary immunizations, and that number is only 50 percent for those entering 7th grade, Raimondo noted.
“As we make plans to get our kids back to school safely this fall, please make sure that your child has the immunizations they need. If they don’t, please pick up the phone right now and call your pediatrician. If you or your child are currently uninsured, you can reach out to our health insurance exchange at 1-855-840-4774 to learn more about coverage,” Raimondo urged parents.
Author: Rob Borkowski
Rob has worked as reporter and editor for several publications, including The Kent County Daily Times and Coventry Courier, before working for Gatehouse in MA then moving home with Patch Media. Now he's publisher and editor of WarwickPost.com. Contact him at editor@warwickpost.com with tips, press releases, advertising inquiries, and concerns.
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