But even though pandemic restrictions have been lifted, he said, parents are still not bringing their children to the doctor.
Vaccination rates in Arizona have also been depressed by misinformation campaigns about vaccines and a distrust of governments overseeing public health, which Elliott said deepened during and after the pandemic.
“Unfortunately, the anti-vax movement continues to exist,” he said. “Pre-pandemic, vaccination rates, science uptake rates and trust in healthcare professionals were already under attack and suffering.”
“The biggest concern, both individually and societally, is that growing up children will be increasingly at risk of preventable pediatric diseases – such as measles and mumps,” Elliott said. “And the time to protect them with vaccines is in the first two years of life. It takes their immature, brand new immune system and gives it the exposure it needs to create lifelong protection.”
Although children can be vaccinated later, the risk for the most serious infections occurs within the first few years. Elliott also said that immunocompromised children will be put at risk because Arizona has fallen below the herd immunity threshold of 95% vaccination rate.
“When we get below a certain percentage of a community that is vaccinated, then those infections can gain a foothold and can create cases,” he said.
Arizona has seen recent outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, such as measles and mumps, according to the state Department of Health Services. Elliott said health care providers and governments can take steps to stem the tide of anti-vaccination.
“The most important thing is to get children and families back to the primary care provider’s office,” he said. “Thankfully, it’s still true that most Americans trust their health care providers if they have an opportunity to listen to them and ask them questions.”
A 2016 study by the National Library of Medicine also found that “education is a key player” in vaccinating children. Some parents choose not to vaccinate their children because of misplaced fears about vaccine ingredients and side effects, the study said.
Another solution Elliott proposed is limiting religious and personal exemptions — which have increased since pandemic restrictions were eased. Currently, the Arizona Department of Health Services says parents can choose not to vaccinate their children if they present a signed ADHS Personal Belief Exemption Form attesting that the immunizations are against their personal beliefs.
Even with government intervention, said Elliott and the National Library of Medicine, the most challenging and important thing is to regain the trust of the American people.
“Healthy relationships between a practitioner and parent can go a long way toward helping patients” get their children vaccinated, the National Library of Medicine study said. “Confidence is paramount and will help put parents at ease and help them overcome unwarranted fears.”
“No one is trying to mislead or hide information,” Elliott said. “If I’m asked a question by a concerned vaccine-hesitant parent, I’ll give them an honest answer, but they have to ask the question.”
