U.S. health officials make new push for inoculations in face of declining vaccination rates

Flu, Covid vaccination rates decline, as U.S. health officials make new push for inoculations Vaccination rates against flu and Covid-19 have declined since earlier in the pandemic and a new survey suggests significant portions of the U.S. population intend to forgo these vaccines this fall. Helen Branswell STAT

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The reasons survey respondents gave when asked why they didn’t plan to get vaccinated were not, however, related to access. Instead they cited concerns about side effects, distrust in vaccines, or the belief the vaccines did not work well.

“As healthcare professionals, we need to address these unfounded concerns and create realistic expectations about what vaccines can and cannot do,” said Patsy Stinchfield, president of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. “Even in cases when vaccination does not prevent infection entirely, getting vaccinated can help protect against serious complications, including hospitalization and death.”

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