Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
If LA's Kids Keep Skipping Routine Vaccinations, We Might Have More Than A COVID-19 Outbreak To Worry About
A nurse wears a protective visor while administering vaccines at St. Johns Medical Center in Altrincham, England during the coronavirus lockdown on April 16, 2020. (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
()
Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily coronavirus newsletter. To support our non-profit public service journalism: Donate Now.
Fewer Los Angeles kids have been vaccinated against diseases like measles and whooping cough since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
In January and February, the number of immunizations in L.A. County were about the same as in 2019. In March, kids ages 0 to 18 received 55% of the number of vaccine doses as the previous year. By April, it was down to 39%.
Support for LAist comes from
Health care providers report vaccine doses to the California Immunization Registry, and the California Department of Public Health provided the numbers to LAist.
DON'T MISS ANY L.A. CORONAVIRUS NEWS
Get our daily newsletters for the latest on COVID-19 and other top local headlines.
Terms of Use and Privacy Policy
"We know from a lot of history on this that if enough people don't vaccinate, the diseases will rise up," said Dr. Ken Saul, a Thousand Oaks pediatrician.
Unvaccinated kids aren't the only ones at risk. Some people are unable to get vaccines because of their age or weakened immune systems.
Support for LAist comes from
'WE'RE NOT GOING TO WAIT'
The number of vaccines ordered nationwide has plummeted since the coronavirus lockdowns that started in mid-March.
The AltaMed pediatric clinic at Children's Hospital L.A. went from seeing about 350 patients a day in person to fewer than 50, said medical director Liza Mackintosh.
"We recognize that people are scared, so we're not going to wait for them to call us," Mackintosh said.
Instead, the clinic's staff are calling families scheduled for routine vaccine visits and offering a new option -- a drive-up clinic.
Families can receive services in tents outside. Doctors wear masks and face shields to see healthy patients and add a gown when seeing sick patients.
Mackintosh said in-person visits are starting to increase again, though the majority of visits occur via phone or video chat.
Support for LAist comes from
The American Academy of Pediatrics, California Department of Public Health and the L.A. County Department of Health say doctors should continue to provide vaccinations for young children.
Saul is encouraging his families to show up, in person, for young children's regularly scheduled visits.
"Pediatricians are all about being proactive and preventing disaster rather than dealing retroactively with disaster," Saul said.
For example, a routine part of an infant check-up is measuring their head. One recent patient's head was growing way too fast, and it turned out to be a cyst in the brain.
"There were no symptoms whatsoever," Saul said. "There's no way you could have picked that up in a telemedicine visit, but in person, we were able to get the cyst removed and the child was fine."
To ensure patient safety, Saul and his staff wear masks and separate well and sick child visits by times of day.
MORE ON VACCINATIONS:
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
L.A. Mayor Karen Bass suspended a state law allowing duplexes, calling more housing unsafe. But in Altadena, L.A. County leaders say these projects could be key for rebuilding. -
L.A. County investigators have launched a probe into allegations about Va Lecia Adams Kellum and people she hired at the L.A. Homeless Services Authority.
-
This measure on the Nov. 4, 2025, California ballot is part of a larger battle for control of the U.S. House of Representatives next year.
-
After rising for years, the number of residential installations in the city of Los Angeles began to drop in 2023. The city isn’t subject to recent changes in state incentives, but other factors may be contributing to the decline.
-
The L.A. City Council approved the venue change Wednesday, which organizers say will save $12 million in infrastructure costs.
-
Taxes on the sale of some newer apartment buildings would be lowered under a plan by Sacramento lawmakers to partially rein in city Measure ULA.
![A Black woman sits at a dais with a flag in the background. A name placard in front of her reads: Dr. Va Lecia Adams Kell[um].](https://scpr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/5425437/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6298x3897+0+0/resize/640x396!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fscpr-brightspot.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com%2F76%2F00%2Febed9a7a4fbd9e5ba12997e51d59%2Fgettyimages-1258669633.jpg)
Best of LAist