Falling confidence in vaccines raises concerns among health officials

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WTVQ / Press Release) – Health officials launched the annual Howard L. Bost Memorial Health Policy Forum, discussing not only the COVID-19 vaccine, but all vaccinations and how declining public confidence in vaccines could spell a public health crisis.

“Here in Kentucky, we risk undoing 50 years of vaccine policy that has protected us from devastating infectious diseases with lifelong effects,” said Ben Chandler, president and CEO of the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky. “Even a small drop in the number of parents who decide to have their children vaccinated against diseases such as measles, mumps, polio or chickenpox puts us at potential risk of epidemics.”

The Virtual Ant Bost also included statements from Kentucky Public Health Commissioner Dr. Steven Stack. Dr Stack explained how vaccines and immunity against diseases like polio are taken for granted and that while there is no safe path in life, vaccines are much less risky than dropping sick.

The Foundation’s Vaccines in Kentucky survey shows progress has been made in reducing reluctance to vaccinate with regard to the COVID-19 vaccine. Results released last week show the efforts reduced the reluctance rate by about a third over six months.

Other information from the survey shows:

Recommended vaccines

• Seven in ten Kentucky adults strongly or somewhat agree that all routine vaccines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are beneficial.
• Four in five Kentuckians strongly or somewhat agree that being vaccinated is important for the health of other members of the community.
• Ninety percent of Kentuckians believe that getting the vaccine is a good way to protect themselves from disease.

Vaccine against influenza

• Two-thirds of Kentuckians are very or somewhat likely to get a flu shot by the end of this year.
• Almost one in three people who have not received the COVID-19 vaccine say they are very or somewhat likely to get the flu shot this year.

Childhood vaccines

• Three in five Kentuckians believe that all children should be immunized.
  • This figure drops to 50% among adults who live with children in their household.
• Eighty-five percent of Kentuckians are somewhat or very comfortable with the children in their household receiving the recommended childhood immunizations.
  • Comparing those who received the COVID-19 vaccine to those who did not, 92% of people who received the COVID-19 vaccine were somewhat or very comfortable with their children receiving the vaccines recommended, while only 73% of those who did not receive the COVID-19 vaccine were comfortable with their children receiving the recommended vaccines.

The Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky commissioned the Vaccines in Kentucky survey. It was conducted from August 4 to September 4, 2021 by the Institute for Policy Research at the University of Cincinnati. More than 500 adults from across Kentucky have been interviewed by phone. The survey includes a margin of error of +/- 4.3%. Read the briefs here.

The 2021 Howard L. Bost Memorial Health Policy Forum, presented by Aetna Better Health of Kentucky, will be held September 20-21. Registration is still open and the forum is free. Click here for more information.