By Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


Livingston County families and others across the state are being encouraged to put vaccinations at the top of their back-to-school to-do lists – especially in light of rising COVID-19 cases due to the Delta variant.

At a press conference Monday, Michigan public health and school leaders urged parents to get their children caught up on vaccinations prior to returning to in-person classes this fall to prevent serious communicable diseases from spreading such as measles, mumps, pertussis, chickenpox and others.

In many states including Michigan, vaccination rates of younger children dropped during the pandemic as parents postponed well-child visits to protect their kids from COVID-19. As a result, vaccination rates for Michigan children ages 19 to 36 months have fallen below 70% in more than half of the state’s 83 Michigan counties. Vaccination coverage in adolescents has also fallen since the start of the pandemic, from 77% in January 2020 to 73.7% in June 2021. That’s according to June data from the Michigan Care Improvement Registry (MCIR). In seven counties and the City of Detroit, the rate has dropped below 60%.

Livingston County’s report card shows that it ranks 7th among counties for vaccinations of those 19 to 35 months and 55th for those 13 to 17 years old.

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun stated that data shows as of last spring, childhood vaccination rates have slipped by more than half or Michigan counties and it’s very concerning because when an area has lower vaccination rates, it creates an environment for diseases to spread and all it takes is one infected individual.

Khaldun commented that the choice to vaccinate is not just a personal choice – it’s a choice to protect an entire community. Over the past year, she says routine childhood vaccination rates decreased across all age levels - leaving more children and teens at risk of contracting serious life-threatening conditions that could be prevented. Khaldun noted that all vaccines available in the United States are tested through a robust process including diverse clinical trials and data is reviewed by doctors and scientists before people are able to receive them – stressing they are safe and effective.

The MDHHS recently issued updated recommendations for preventing COVID-19 transmission in schools and reducing disruptions to in-person learning, which include promoting vaccination for eligible staff and students, masking indoors regardless of vaccination status, practicing physical distancing, conducting testing, and more.

A press release and Livingston County’s immunization report card are attached.