Pediatricians are working to boost child immunization rates by focusing on parents who don't want to vaccinate their kids.
The American Academy of Pediatrics is publishing a new clinical report, "Countering Vaccine Hesitancy," in the September 2016 edition of Pediatrics to help pediatricians communicate more effectively with parents regarding immunization. The AAP is encouraging pediatricians to engage in compassionate dialogues with parents to clear up misconceptions around vaccines, provide accurate information about the safety and importance of vaccines and strive over time to help parents make the decision to vaccinate their child, the organization said.
The AAP is also urging states to enact policies that will result in high immunization rates. The organization said it recommends only medical exemptions be allowed for vaccine requirements for child care and school attendance.
"Parents, pediatricians, and policy-makers all have a role here in protecting children from diseases like measles and whooping cough," AAP President Benard P. Dreyer, MD, said in a statement. "As pediatricians, we care about every individual child in our practices, and we know that vaccines are an important way to protect them from disease. We also care about the broader communities where our patients live, play and learn, and high immunization rates are critical to keeping disease outbreaks at bay. No child should have to suffer through a disease that could have been prevented by a vaccine."
More articles on Zika:
9 things providers should do to prepare for Zika
Florida Zika update: New local case reported in Palm Beach County, Gov. calls on feds for aid
CDC gives $6.8M to public health partners to fight Zika