Children deserve to be vaccinated

As kids around Nevada settle into a new school year, downward trends in the state’s routine vaccination rates continue to cause concern.

At the start of the pandemic two years ago, parents and caregivers in Nevada and across the nation opted to postpone wellchild checkups, including childhood immunizations. Millions of children were put at risk for exposure to 14 preventable diseases, including whooping cough and the measles.

But while current COVID-19 rates among children 5 and under in Nevada remain low, vaccine hesitancy and widespread misinformation remain high. Nevada can do better, and I challenge Nevadans to have more conversations with their doctors and their children’s pediatricians, as the time for trusting misinformation must come to an end. You can even ask about the newly released COVID vaccine for those students 12 years and older (Pfizer) and those who are older than 18 (Moderna).

Vaccines are safe and effective, and they save lives. They are a key tool in public health when it comes to dealing with diseases and hospitalizations, and this includes our population of children.

Getting kids vaccinated against COVID-19 is fundamental for the overall health of our community. Immunizing young Nevadans allows them to stay in school, keeps them active, ensures they stay connected with their peers and engaged in activities, and helps improve overall quality of life by supporting their emotional and social development.

Fall is nearly upon us, as is the prevalent flu season. In fact, many scientists are predicting this flu season to be far more active than what we have seen for the past two years. As a reminder, the flu takes many lives every year, but we don’t have to let it. I encourage parents and caregivers to ensure that kids stay up to date on routine vaccines and the COVID-19 vaccine to best protect themselves, loved ones and surrounding community members who may be unable to get vaccinated.