Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics released the 2018 vaccination schedule. Not much has changed for most kids, except now there is a recommendation that people get a third dose of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine if there is an outbreak.
Nurse Tanya Roland vaccinates Fatima Wolfe, the 1-year-old daughter of Jordan Wolfe, at the Shots for Tots vaccination clinic at St. John’s Community Center. JAY JANNER / AMERICAN-STATESMAN
We’ve seen such an outbreak here in Central Texas, when a kid at the University of Texas were diagnosed with mumps last year. That case wasn’t the only case of measles or mumps doctors at Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas were seeing last summer.
RELATED: DON’T VACCINATE? NEW MUMPS, MEASLES CASE REMINDS US WHY WE SHOULD
Have doubts about why vaccines might be important? Look around you at the number of people who are out with the flu right now. This year’s vaccine was only 10 to 15 percent effective against the H3N2 version of the virus.
RELATED: WHAT TO DO IF YOUR KID HAS THE FLU
The new vaccine schedule also adjusts some of the recommendations for kids who have chronic illnesses or were born below a certain weight. It also gives some new recommendations for kids who are behind in their vaccines and need to catch up.
Even those of us who believe in vaccines can get behind sometimes. The one that typically gets parents is that 11-year-old or 12-year-old round of new vaccines, including the HPV vaccine.
Here’s the new vaccination schedule, you can also find it online at cdc.gov.
