Childhood vaccinations in the U.S. were steady for the decade before the pandemic, but have shown a decline for the past couple of years. We sat down with Dr. Pam Shaw, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Kansas Medical Center, who explained some of the reasons for that decline. She also discussed other disruptions to vaccinations and some of the challenges to getting children vaccinated, particularly those who were uninsured.

Also on the show is Shannon Kolman, who follows vaccine policy for NCSL. She notes the large number of vaccine related bills introduced in the past couple of years, and explains how legislatures have tried to make it easier for children to get vaccinated.

Resources

• Lawmakers Turn to Data Systems to Guide Vaccine Decision-Making, NCSL
• MMWR, Vaccination Coverage by Age 24 Months – National Immunization Survey – U.S. 2019-2021, CDC
• MMWR, Vaccination Coverage with Selected Vaccines and Exemption Rates Among Child in Kindergarten, CDC
• State Public Health Legislation Database, NCSL
• States with Religious and Philosophical Exemptions From School Immunization Requirements, NCSL
• Vaccine Policy Series, NCSL