As New York students gear up to return to the school grind, parents' to-do lists are rapidly piling up. Topping that list? Vaccinations. In spite of the national trend of decreased childhood vaccination rates, New York continues to show strong vaccination rates among kindergartners due to strict school immunization rules that don't permit religious exemptions, according to Gothamist.
New York City’s own NYC Health + Hospitals is also urging parents to to not neglect annual checkups, flu shots, and additional essential vaccinations as the school year commences. With public school starting on Thursday, preparation is essential—and with services like NYC Health + Hospitals that offer appointments at little or no cost, there's really no reason to skip. Katherine Piwnica-Worms, Assistant Vice President of Pediatrics at NYC Health + Hospitals, highlighted the importance of regular pediatric visits in a statement obtained by the reminder issued by NYC Health + Hospitals, saying, "A great school year starts with making sure your child sees their pediatrician."
Meanwhile, at the federal level, shakeups in vaccine policies, such as the overhaul of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., are causing concerns around potential politicization of vaccine recommendations. Gothamist reports Dr. Jessica Sessions, a doctor at the Ryan Chelsea-Clinton Community Health Center, assuring parents that pediatricians are "really following American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations right now, and we're looking to them as sort of our guiding light." These recommendations include the COVID-19 shots for children over six months, despite not being a requirement for school attendance in the state.
Furthermore, the vaccine requirements for students in New York for the upcoming school year remain unchanged, confirms state officials, as reported by Gothamist. Vaccination coverage, for instance, for the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) among kindergartners in New York, remains high — 97.8% — well above the herd immunity threshold. Nevertheless, with the citywide flu vaccination rates on a downward trajectory, health providers are preparing to hand out flu shots as the season approaches, ensuring availability without thimerosal, a preservative recently advised against by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
Recognizing the importance of holistic health, NYC Health + Hospitals extends beyond the immediate need for vaccinations, promoting overall adolescent health services. In light of children and teens heading back to the books, let's not forget about the comprehensive suite of services available—everything from annual physicals to mental health screenings, because keeping kids healthy goes beyond just avoiding the flu. For those seeking to schedule appointments, NYC Health + Hospitals has made services accessible either over the phone or online, as highlighted in their back-to-school reminder.
