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A Vaccine Update for 2025 - Are The Shots Still Important? The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) maintains an informational Website for vaccines and Immunization recommendations.(1) It provides the most up-to-date consensus information to physicians and the public regarding the vaccines that should be used across all age groups. With some negative data emerging around COVID-19 vaccines, some have taken a “no shots” stance against virtually all immunizations. As a consequence, this increased vaccine hesitancy has led to reduced vaccination rates, and when accompanied by an influx of non-immunized immigrants, we are seeing the re-emergence of diseases that have rarely been seen and nearly eradicated in the United States. Since pharmacies can administer vaccines to adults on request without a doctor’s prescription, we are being tasked to use our own judgement and “doctor ourselves” with what we believe is needed. Case in point: Before the introduction of vaccination, measles was a very common childhood infection worldwide. In the United States, however, it was declared non-endemic (rarely found) in 2000, largely due to the adoption of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Its widespread transmission can only be prevented by vaccinating more than 95% of people in a community. Only 92.7% of American kindergarteners received the recommended two MMR doses in the 2023–24 school year. This decline in vaccination rate has led to a 20% increase in measles cases. In March 2025, west Texas reported a large jump in cases with 40 hospitalizations and 1 death; the most recent Texas data reports 762 cases since January, 99 hospitalizations, and 2 deaths. By vaccination status, 718 were unvaccinated, 23 had only 1 dose of MMR and 21 reported having 2 doses. The best way to prevent this is with two doses of the MMR, the first given between 12 - 15 months of age and the second between 4 -6 years. In areas of measles outbreaks, an extra dose is recommended and the shortest interval between doses is 4 weeks. A complete review of measles can be found in the June 25 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.(2) Mom’s Advice: When my mother wanted me to think harder about what I was doing she would say, “Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water” - reminding me not to discard the good when trying to get rid of the bad. That’s where we are now with vaccinations. Many have said “no more shots,” but that is not a wise approach. I recommend we stay up to date with our tried and tested vaccines (MMR, DTaP, Polio, Rotavirus, Hepatitis B, Chicken Pox, Pneumococcal, Flu) for children and (Tdap, annual Flu, Shingles, Pneumococcal, Hepatitis A & B) for adults. After your personal physician, the CDC remains the next best source of advice for a recommended vaccine schedule.(3) COVID is indicated for those at high risk due to serious health issues.(4) Key Points:
Medical Tip from Dr. Charles Driscoll, VASSAR Surgeon General ———————————————————— References: |