for Patients and Parents

Routine Vaccination during the COVID-19 Outbreak

Is it o.k. to see our pediatrician during COVID-19?
Yes, pediatrician's office is open and taking extra steps to make sure you and your children are safe when you come in.

What is the status of the COVID-19 vaccine?
There is currently no licensed vaccine to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Research and development programs are underway in the U.S. and around the world to develop a vaccine that is safe and effective.

What does CDC advise about administering routine immunizations to children and teens when COVID-19 is circulating?
The COVID-19 pandemic is changing rapidly and continues to affect communities across the U.S. differently. Ensuring the delivery of newborn and well-child care, including childhood immunization, requires strategies to keep children safe. Healthcare providers in affected communities are using strategies to separate well visits from sick visits.

Examples include:

Scheduling well visits in the morning and sick visits in the afternoon.
Placing patients with sick visits in different areas of the clinic or another location from patients with well visits.
Collaborating with other immunization providers in the community to identify separate locations for holding well visits for children.

Because of personal, practice, or community circumstances related to COVID-19, some providers may not be able to carry out well-child visits, including provision of immunizations, for all patients in their practice. If a practice can provide only limited well-child visits, healthcare providers are encouraged to prioritize newborn care and vaccination of infants and young children (through age 24 months) when possible.

Should infants born to women with hepatitis B virus infection (hepatitis B surface antigen-positive [HBsAg+]) be treated differently during the COVID-19 pandemic?
The prevention of mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B virus infection requires timely vaccination and administration of hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG) at birth, followed by completion of the hepatitis B vaccine series and post-vaccination serologic testing. Every effort should be made to complete the vaccination series on time. CDC has provided interim guidance for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B available at www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/hcp/schedule-changes.html.

What does CDC advise about administering routine immunizations to adults when COVID-19 is circulating?
In areas with community transmission of COVID-19, vaccination visits should be postponed except when:

An in-person visit must be scheduled for some other purpose and vaccination can be done during that visit without increasing the risk of COVID-19 exposure; or
An individual patient and their clinician believe that there is a compelling need for vaccination based on an assessment that the potential benefit outweighs the risk of exposure to the virus that causes COVID-19.

Connecticut News

Hartford Courant, May 22, 2020: On the, old adversaries agree: Connecticut must remove the religious exemption to vaccines
Journal Inquirer, May 7, 2020: Vaccination is Essential
CT Mirror, January 14, 2020: Lawmakers set hearing on proposal to repeal state's religious vaccine exemption
NBC Connecticut, December 26, 2019: 1 New Flu-Related Death Reported in Connecticut
CT Insider, December 1, 2019: Norwalk student's flu death inspires mother to raise awareness
CT Post, November 6, 2019: There are 134 schools in Connecticut where the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine rate for kindergarteners falls below the federal recommendation rate. Parents and the community have good reason to be alarmed.
Hartford Courant, October 21, 2019: Data Show 134 Connecticut schools below recommended vaccination level for measles, a 31% increase from a year before
Press Release, October 21, 2019: Governor Lamont Says Decision to Release School Vaccination Data to the Public Is a Win for Transparency
Press Release, October 21, 2019: DPH Releases Updated School Immunization Data for 2018-2019 School Year; Data Show 134 Connecticut Schools have Vaccination Rates for Measles, Mumps and Rubella below Federal Guideline of 95%
CT Mirror, October 21, 2019: School-By-School Vaccination Rates in CT Released For 2018-19
CT Mirror, October 21, 2019: School-by-school vaccine data vital to moms of kids with compromised immune systems
CT Mirror, October 18, 2019: What is Connecticut's religious exemption from vaccines? Here are five things to know about the controversial provision
CT Mirror, August 12, 2019: Education group: Repeal the religious exemption from vaccination;
Organization says health commissioner should also be able to weigh in
CT Mirror, July 15, 2019: Republican legislator signs on to represent Bristol couple in vaccine lawsuit
CT Mirror, May 11, 2019: DPH Update: 109 Schools Below CDC Standard for Measles Vaccine; Hearing Set for Monday
Hartford Courant, May 3, 2019: School-by-school vaccination data show some Connecticut schools have high numbers of religious or medical exemptions
Press Release, May 3, 2019: DPH Releases School-Based Immunization Data for All CT Public and Private Schools;
Data Show More than 100 Schools have Vaccination Rates for Measles, Mumps and Rubella Below Federal Guideline for Kindergarten of 95%