COVID-19 and Primary Measles Vaccination Rates in a Large Primary Care Network.

Abstract

* Abbreviations: COVID-19 — : coronavirus disease 2019 MMR — : measles-mumps-rubella One dose of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine confers ≥93% protection against measles.1 In 2017, nearly 10% of children aged 19 to 35 months in the United States had not received the first dose of the MMR vaccine.2 The vaccination rate was lower among those who were uninsured or Medicaid enrolled compared with those with private insurance and among Black children compared with white children.2 In May 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported a precipitous drop in vaccination within one state after the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 pandemic began.3 Lower MMR vaccination rates raise serious concerns about a possible measles resurgence3 in the United States because of the high level of herd immunity needed to prevent community transmission.1 We evaluated changes in measles vaccination rates from the pandemic start when clinic access and attendance decreased to the period in which return for clinical care was encouraged. The Nationwide Children’s Hospital pediatric primary care network includes 12 clinic sites in Columbus, Ohio, providing care for >90 000 children and adolescents, most of whom are Medicaid enrolled and belong to a racial or ethnic minority group. The primary study outcome was … Address correspondence to Sara Bode, MD, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, 700 Children’s Dr, LAC5609, Columbus, OH 43205-2664. E-mail: sara.bode{at}nationwidechildrens.org