In the city of Milwaukee, only 20% of children under 18 are vaccinated. Doctors expect the same low rates for young children despite the newly available vaccine for ages 6 months to 5 years.
Dr. Ben Weston, Chief Health Policy Advisor for Milwaukee County, said there is a trend between age and vaccination rates. As age number decreases, so do the vaccination rates. Weston said “As you look at age groups, every group from 90 on down, it’s a curve and it goes down, down, down with each age group.”
With the downward trend, parental hesitancy is another key factor in the low vaccination rates. “Part of that is because of when the vaccines were released, and there just hasn’t been as much time.” Weston said “But, part of that is also that hesitancy piece.”
Alongside low vaccination rates in children also are raised hospitalization numbers. Chief Medical Officer at the Milwaukee Health Department and Pediatrician, Dr. Heather Paradis, said during the Omicron surge children under 5 years old were hospitalized at a rate five times higher than when Delta was the dominant variant.
In order to support parents and to answer questions about the vaccines, the Milwaukee Health Department is making themselves widely available. Paradis said “We are actively engaging with community partners to encourage vaccination, to give opportunities for parents to ask questions who are contemplative about receiving vaccines and being there to give the vaccine when they decide that they are ready.
Children can receive their vaccines at three available vaccine sites throughout the county: Menomonee Valley and Northwest and Southside Health Centers.
For anyone looking to get shots at one of the city’s three sites, no appointment is necessary, masks must be worn, insurance information won’t be taken and all children under 17 need to have parent or guardian consent before getting their dose. More information can be found here.