The commonwealth has yet to return to pre-pandemic immunization levels, and representatives with the Kentucky Association of Health Plans and Kentucky Voices for Health say the drop in immunizations is fueling the rise of illnesses that we haven't seen in their prime since the Victorian era.
Think measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, and pertussis, better known as whooping cough — the last of which has been making the rounds in Lexington.
"We're starting to face a perfect storm scenario where holes in our community immunity are only becoming larger as those immunization rates decline," says Kelly Taulbee with Kentucky Voices for Health. "Families really can no longer afford to treat these diseases and the vaccines that can prevent their spread as an afterthought."
Taulbee says that's why the two health groups are partnering on a new three-year venture and grant totaling $360,000, aimed at reducing barriers to coverage and care and helping overcome vaccine hesitancy.
"We can't take for granted that families don't have questions. Because the pandemic created a polarization around COVID-19, of course, we're seeing an impact on routine immunizations," she says. "And it's OK. If (families) have questions, they should ask their doctor. They should ask their provider. But there are ways that we can approach those conversations more meaningfully. And that meet the family's concerns a little more head on."
So while the organizations plan to engage in campaigns on TV and radio, they also hope to explain the effectiveness of vaccines in new ways that might connect with families that have become wary, keep kids covered as Medicaid renewals resume, and increase access to immunizations for school age children.
