Preventing an illness from ever happening is still the most effective medicine available. Vaccines are a perfect example of this; saving millions of lives each year and nearly eradicating many deadly diseases.

That’s why Kentucky Voices for Health (KVH) commends the Kentucky Cabinet for Health & Family Services (CHFS) for taking steps to protect Kentucky children by updating the childhood immunization requirements and promoting the Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program. It is also why parents are encouraged to adhere to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recommended immunization schedule for their children.

Two of our top priorities, children’s health and prevention, form an important intersection when it comes to immunizations, one of the easiest and most effective ways to prevent diseases in children. For too long, Kentucky has ranked below CDC recommended immunization rates—we’re currently at 69% but should be above 90%—and has needed a shot in the arm to improve in this critical area of public health.

The new immunization requirements, which include many familiar sounding vaccines like PCV for children up to five, and MCV and Tdap vaccines for sixth-graders, will help boost the states immunization rates and ensure that all Kentucky children have access to these important vaccines. This is particularly important for those without health insurance as these vaccines are now available at local health departments through the state’s VFC program which helps families by providing free vaccines to doctors who serve eligible children.

But ultimately, it is up to parents to ensure their children are properly immunized. Thus it is critical for parents to understand the importance, safety and efficacy of vaccines when it comes to protecting their children. Unfortunately, according to a recent study by the University of Michigan, 10% of parents nationwide are now following an alternative vaccination schedule instead of that which is recommended by the CDC. The study also concluded even more parents would consider a switch to an alternative schedule. This is a dangerous precedent that must be addressed through proper education and patient consultation with their care providers.

Anne Schuchat, M.D., director of CDC’s National Center for Immunization & Respiratory Diseases, summed it up nicely in a recent CDC press release, “as recent outbreaks of measles and whooping cough have shown, vaccine-preventable diseases are still around us, and it is important that health care providers, community groups, and state programs support parents in assuring that children are protected from vaccine-preventable diseases.”

For more information on Kentucky’s vaccine program and the Vaccines for Children program, visit: http://www.chfs.ky.gov/dph/epi/Immunization+Program.htm.

Kentucky Voices for Health is a coalition of over 250 health care organizations and individuals who believes that the best health care solutions are found when everyone works together to build them. Healthy families create healthy economies. So we're working step by step to build a healthier Kentucky for everyone.

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