Pediatricians are warning parents about keeping up with required vaccinations for their children.
According to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control, 2.5 million fewer doses of childhood vaccines were ordered in the first four months of 2020, compared to 2019.
Pediatricians attribute the drop-off to concerns about potential exposure to COVID-19 at doctor offices, but insist all precautions are being taken to protect patients.
Doctors are urging parents, especially of kids under 2 years old, to keep up with regularly scheduled vaccinations to ensure protection against other diseases.
"In order to prevent preventable diseases from emerging, it is so important for children to maintain their vaccine schedule at an appropriate time," says Dr. Sara Siddiqui, of NYU Langone Huntington Medical Group. "By this, I mean 2-month, 4-month, 6-month vaccines."
Doctors say they don't want kids behind in vaccinations, especially as states begin to relax social distancing rules.