East Central Iowa News

Less students in Iowa are receiving routine vaccinations, which has led to increasing concerns from state and local officials during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

According to a report from the Iowa Department of Public Health, the number of students receiving vaccinations for non-flu immunizations dropped by 40.4% in March and April of this year compared to the same time last year, the Oskaloosa Herald reported. In April, the number dropped by 56.8% compared to April 2019. 

Mahaska Health, Pella Regional Health Center and Knoxville Hospital and Clinics are all seeing these same drops in vaccinations.

Many parents haven't been taking their children to receive these vaccinations, because many hospitals are canceling or pushing back non-urgent or elective procedures. 

“Fear of COVID-19 may also contribute to reduced immunization activities. Individuals and parents may not feel safe to go to routine medical appointments out of fear of exposure to COVID-19 in clinics and medical facilities,” the Iowa Department of Public Health wrote in their report, the Oskaloosa Herald reported. “The effects of the global pandemic and public health strategies to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 may have unintended and consequential impacts on the number of immunizations administered to Iowans.”

To maintain herd immunity, hospitals are encouraging that students should receive routine vaccines. 

“Vaccines are about you and your neighbor,” Denyse Gipple, with Mahaska County Public Health, told the Oskaloosa Herald. “We have a great history of having high vaccination rates in Mahaska County, and because of that, we have not historically seen outbreaks of disease, and we’d like to keep it that way."