Introduction to Vaccines
As children head back to school in Chicago and across the region, many are doing so as hesitancy grows around vaccinations. In suburban Cook County, there are an estimated 12,000 children who are not vaccinated against measles, a figure that has doubled in the past decade, according to county officials. In Chicago Public Schools, the percentage of students vaccinated against measles fell from 97% before the coronavirus pandemic to 93% last school year.
The Importance of Vaccination
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle recalled how many children from her generation fell ill with diseases that are now largely eradicated because of vaccines. But Preckwinkle and other county officials are ringing the alarm and rolling out a new campaign aimed at boosting the numbers vaccinated against measles. “We can’t take the progress we’ve seen for granted,” Preckwinkle said. “Measles is back. It’s not back because the science has changed, but simply because too many people are unvaccinated and that puts everyone at risk.”
Toni Preckwinkle, Cook County Board President, spoke of an era before vaccines managed to wipe out diseases. At a press conference Wednesday, she pushed efforts to increase today’s measles vaccination rates. “We can’t take the progress we’ve seen for granted,” she said.
How Vaccines Work
Vaccines are typically researched for about 15 years and tested in trials with thousands of volunteers before they are released to the public, according to Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. Vaccines create antibodies that then help the body fight off a disease.
Required Vaccines in Illinois
Children in school or at a child care facility are required to get eight vaccinations. They are for the following diseases: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough); polio; measles, rubella and mumps; hepatitis b; haemophilus influenzae type b; invasive pneumococcal disease; varicella or the chickenpox; and meningococcal disease.
The MMR Vaccine
The first dose of the MMR vaccine should be administered when a child is a year old, and the second dose anytime from a month later to when the child turns four, said Dr. Anita Chandra-Puri, a Chicago-based pediatrician and spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics. After both doses, the vaccine provides lifelong protection against measles, said Dr. Kiran Joshi, the chief operating officer of the Cook County Department of Public Health.
Dr. Kiran Joshi is the chief operating officer of the Cook County Department of Public Health.
Other Vaccines
This year’s flu vaccine is not available yet, but Chandra-Puri said the guidance will remain the same that everyone over six months old should get it as soon as it’s available. The American Academy of Pediatrics is waiting for guidance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration about this year’s COVID-19 booster vaccine before it issues its own guidance for children. Infants should continue to get immunization against RSV, and typically the season where doctors in Chicago see more children contract the respiratory virus starts in October and goes through March.
Vaccine Coverage and Accessibility
So far, the American Academy of Pediatrics has not heard of cases in Chicago or across the country of parents having trouble accessing a vaccine for their child, Chandra-Puri said. But there is concern that some vaccines could be harder to access in the future if the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s vaccine recommendations for children leave out certain ones.
Concerns About Unvaccinated Children
If a parent is worried their child will be around unvaccinated students, Chandra-Puri recommends they talk with other parents to encourage vaccination. She also encourages parents to stay updated on the recommendations from their schools. In addition, children can practice good hygiene and stay home if they are feeling unwell to prevent diseases from spreading. Although no vaccine is 100% effective, Chandra-Puri stressed it still works to combat disease.
Resources for Chicago Area Residents
Cook County residents, regardless of age and immigration status, can call (312) 864-1111 to make an appointment with Cook County Health Express Care for vaccinations. Parents can also follow the Cook County Department of Public Health on Facebook for information about free vaccination clinics hosted in collaboration with area schools. Medical experts also strongly advise parents to speak to their pediatrician about any immunization concerns rather than
