DAVENPORT, Iowa — Quad City area doctors say their schedules are filling up as they vaccinate kids before school starts. But they say parents need to take action now and make sure kids are vaccinated on time.
Davenport mom, Jodi Hansen, says her daughter will go to kindergarten this fall. Jodi made sure she was up to date on her vaccinations.
"I was worried we were going to be off schedule," says Hansen. "Her appointment was in April, so it was kind of the heat of everything happening."
Dr. Anita Ahuja, UnityPoint Health Trinity Pediatrician, says her schedule is booking up - she's taking patients into August already.
"When the pandemic and quarantining initially started in early springtime, parents understandably didn't want to bring children in," Dr. Ahuja explains. "There was a down point in April."
April was when immunizations dropped the most in Iowa compared to 2019. Kids under two were down 35% in vaccinations, while other adolescents were down 75%.
"Even though COVID is out there, all the vaccine preventable illnesses are still out there as well," Dr. Ahuja points out. She also says parents should book appointments sooner than later.
"Eventually kids will be back in school. They're still in contact with their neighbors or their younger siblings that are maybe in daycare."
Kids in Illinois need their vaccinations before October 15. Kids in Iowa need at least one dose of their required vaccinations before school starts.