Teens May Have Missed Vaccinations During COVID-19 Pandemic

MONDAY, Aug. 28, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Adolescents, especially those born in 2008, may have missed vaccinations during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to research published in the Aug. 25 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Cassandra Pingali, M.P.H., from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, and colleagues examined vaccination coverage using data from the 2022 National Immunization Survey-Teen for 16,043 adolescents aged 13 to 17 years. Trends in vaccination coverage by age 13 and 14 years were examined among adolescents due for routine vaccination before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in birth cohort analyses.

The researchers found that among adolescents born in 2008, in 2022, vaccination coverage by age 14 years continued to lag that of earlier birth cohorts and varied by sociodemographic factors and access to health care. Among adolescents born in 2009, vaccination coverage by age 13 years was similar to coverage estimates obtained before the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, vaccination coverage levels did not differ from 2021 levels among adolescents aged 13 to 17 years; however, there was a decrease in initiation of the human papillomavirus vaccination series among those insured by Medicaid.

"In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many families might have missed well-child appointments when vaccinations were due," the authors write. "Particular focus is needed for subgroups that experienced larger recent declines in vaccination coverage or substantially lower coverage, including those born during 2008 and VFC [Vaccines for Children]-eligible populations."

Abstract/Full Text