Covid-19 is no reason to skip vaccinating kids

Six months ago, Austin Public Health confirmed the first case of rubella in Travis County since 1999. Just a month earlier came the first case of measles in the area in more than two decades. The reappearance of these dangerous infectious diseases is worrisome and shows that, “while Austin-Travis County has a relatively high vaccination rate, there are pockets of communities where vaccination opt-outs bring herd immunity to an unstable status,” according to a release from Austin Public Health. With the new school year around the corner, APH is urging parents to schedule wellness checks for the kids and make sure they are up to date on all required vaccinations. Dr. Mark Escott, interim Austin-Travis County health authority, said, “While we do not yet have a vaccine to protect us against Covid-19, many scientific advances made in past decades have provided us with proven ways to protect us against diseases such as measles, polio, varicella, and many more. Ensure your family is up-to-date on necessary vaccinations so we can avoid the comeback of previously eliminated diseases in our community.”