03/17/2025
The number of confirmed cases crested over 301 last week, surpassing the total cases from 2024 in less than a quarter of the time.
While on the topic of vaccines, it is pertinent to address the vaccine schedule and simultaneous administration of vaccines, or giving multiple vaccines in one visit. Seemingly more and more parents these days, for some reason or another, express that they want to spread out their infants’ vaccines.
However, the vaccine schedule published by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is recommended based on many years of scientific study. The vaccine schedule is evaluated and reviewed every year and updated based on the latest scientific findings.
While the vaccine schedule recommendation of vaccinating your child against 8 or 9 different antigens at or before they turn two months old may seem like a lot, numerous studies have all come to the same conclusion: simultaneous administration of vaccines is safe and effective. There is no evidence to suggest that simultaneous administration of these antigens increases the risk or severity of vaccine reactions, or that simultaneous administration is less effective than a spread-out vaccine schedule.
According to healthychildren.org, a website hosted by the AAP, “Babies are the most likely age group to be hospitalized or die from the diseases these vaccines protect them from.” After all, they don’t know any better and put everything in their mouths, and put their mouths on everything else that doesn’t fit in their mouths. Furthermore, the vaccines take time, and multiple doses, to build up your child’s immunity. As such, it is crucial to get them vaccinated as soon as possible and follow the recommended schedule.
Finally, there is no evidence that getting multiple shots at one time, like when the schedule recommends four (4) or more shots at the 12-month mark, is more traumatic than spreading them out one at a time. In fact, getting several shots at once means fewer office visits, saving you money and time out of your busy schedules, and may even be less traumatic.
With that said, it’s okay if we have fallen behind schedule! We are happy to work with any of our families on catching their children up on their vaccines! Just give us a call Monday thru Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM, closed 12-1 for lunch.
Hello DV Pediatrics families and our local community,
We wanted to address the rise of measles cases we are seeing across the nation.
As of noon on Thursday, March 6, the total number of reported measles cases in the United States this year is 222. That’s over four (4) times the cases reported at this point last year.
175 of the 222 cases (or 79%) have been children and adolescents younger than 20. Almost four out of five cases are patients in the age range that we care for as a pediatric practice. That figure is concerning, but only three cases have been confirmed in Georgia as of now, all three were contained in one family and were publicized by the Georgia DPH one month ago. However, it is wise for the public to assume there are more cases out there than have been confirmed. As such, we would like to take the opportunity to promote awareness of the measles vaccine.
The MMR vaccine is given as a two-dose series and protects against not only measles but also mumps and rubella (or German measles). In the United States, the first dose of the MMR vaccine is typically given between 12 and 15 months, most commonly at a child’s one-year well check. The second dose, also known as a booster, is given sometime between four (4) and six (6) years, usually before starting kindergarten.
94% of the 222 cases so far in 2025, including the three in Georgia, presented in patients who were either unvaccinated or of unknown vaccination status, 4% had only one dose of the MMR vaccine, and 2% had both doses. These figures align well with published literature on MMR vaccine efficacy, which suggests that 93-95% of people develop immunity to measles after one dose and 95-97% or higher after both doses.
The MMR vaccine is very effective at preventing measles, but even receiving both doses does not guarantee immunity. However, as with many other vaccines, the MMR vaccine also bolsters the immune systems of those who contract measles. Physicians and healthcare experts have repeatedly found that confirmed cases in vaccinated patients tend to be more mild, less life-threatening, and less communicable.
If you are unsure and/or concerned about your or your child’s vaccination status, Georgia residents can request their immunization records online from the Georgia Department of Public Health for no cost.
If you have any questions, concerns, or need to schedule a routine well check or catch-up immunization appointment for your child, please give us a call at 770-704-0057 during business hours, 8 AM - 5 PM, Monday thru Friday, closed 12-1 for lunch.
