SIOUX FALLS S.D. (KELO) — Fewer people in South Dakota are getting vaccinated. Experts at the South Dakota Department of Health are noting a decrease in vaccinations, especially for a lot of routine childhood illnesses.
This could lead to more cases of whooping cough, RSV, Measles and the Influenza in our kids. Cases of Whooping Cough are up in South Dakota this year, vaccination rates are down.
"Unfortunately what we've seen is we had about a 7 percent decrease in the vaccination rate against pertussis in our two year olds in the state and that is a substantial decrease," said State Epidemiologist Josh Clayton.His office has also noticed a decrease in vaccination rates for the flu and measles. National Health experts point to a disruption in routine health care during the pandemic, misinformation spreading about vaccines and a general distrust in public health. According to Dr. Robert Jacobson with the Mayo Clinic’s Primary Care Immunization Program one common piece of misinformation is vaccines make you sick.
“You aren’t going to get the flu from the flu vaccine. You’re not going to get COVID from the COVID vaccine. It may feel momentarily like you’re coming down with something, but it’s going to resolve without any treatment,” said Dr. Jacobson.
The first vaccine was discovered in 1796. It protected people against small pox. And vaccines have been saving lives ever since. Clayton says there is plenty of science behind the safety of vaccines.“It is something for parents to keep in mind that if you have not kept your child up to date with vaccines please do so, it helps protect your child, helps protect yourself,” said Clayton.
And it helps protect the people around you and the people you love.
Especially important as we head into more family and social gatherings during the Christmas Holiday season.