How to protect your children’s health this school year

As back to school approaches, if your family is anything like mine, then the kids are mourning, and parents are rejoicing. But regardless of how you feel about back to school, everyone can agree that there is a long check list of items every family needs to complete. One major item on the check list not to lose sight of is ensuring children are up to date with the vaccinations.

And as we navigate another summer COVID surge and the upcoming flu season, now is the time to consult with your health care provider about vaccines for common respiratory viruses like COVID-19, influenza (or flu) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Vaccines remain one of the most powerful tools that we have for ensuring our children's health and keeping them in the classroom.

In fact, a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that routine childhood vaccinations have prevented hundreds of millions of illnesses, tens of millions of hospitalizations and more than one million deaths between 1994 and 2023.

Childhood vaccines have also saved the American health system $2.2 trillion, making them one of the most cost-effective public health tools available.

Here's what you should know:

• Vaccines work by helping your body identify potential infections so that your immune system can fight diseases faster and more effectively when exposed to pathogens such as viruses or bacteria. Biopharmaceutical research companies currently have 286 vaccines in development for the treatment or prevention of disease.
• Vaccines are available to prevent a number of dangerous or deadly diseases in the United States. In fact, there are many diseases I learned about in medical school that I have never treated in my clinical practice because of vaccines.
• The vaccine for whooping cough (pertussis) has reduced the severity of a disease that once killed one in every ten children who became infected. The introduction of routine immunization for pertussis saw a 150-fold reduction in cases.
• Just this week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved or authorized for emergency use several updated vaccines to protect against COVID-19, including for children.

By taking this opportunity as school starts to ensure your child is up to date with their vaccines, and you have a plan for COVID, flu, and RSV season, you are not only keeping them safe, but you are protecting those around them - including family, friends and colleagues. It's easier than ever to find a location to get vaccinated by going to Vaccines.gov. Be sure to speak with your child's pediatrician about which vaccines you and your family need to stay safe this school year.

Read more in our vaccines in development report here.