WA state seeing decline in respiratory vaccine rates
OLYMPIA – Winter is approaching, along with the cold and flu season, but Washington continues to see declining vaccination rates for protection against respiratory infections, according to the state Department of Health.
“Vaccines are the best protection we have against serious illnesses from COVID-19, flu, and RSV, and they can also help reduce spread and ease pressure on our health care system,” state health officer Dr. Tao Sheng Kwan-Gett said in a recent press release.
“It can take the body a couple weeks to mount a protective response after vaccination, so now is the time to make sure you and your loved ones are up to date in preparation for the holiday season,” he said.
Respiratory immunization rates have declined statewide for the past three seasons, according to DOH, which reported that flu vaccine doses are currently 9.5% lower than last season and COVID-19 doses are down 24%.
In contrast, the department did note that over 41% of infants ages 0-7 months received an RSV immunization last season, but the number has increased by 21% this season. Nonetheless, the agency said, “many infants are still unimmunized and at higher risk of hospitalization.”
In adults and older healthy children, symptoms of RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, are mild and mimic the common cold. But RSV can cause severe infection in babies 12 months and younger, particularly premature infants, along with older adults, people with heart and lung disease, or anyone with a weak immune system.
Vaccine skepticism has become increasingly prevalent nationwide, and revised vaccination recommendations announced in early October by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have amplified the rift, according to findings by the Pew Research Center.
But the vast majority of health care providers and medical associations say risks from vaccinations are both rare and far outweighed by the benefits provided by immunizations in reducing serious infections and their spread.
In advance of the CDC changes, Washington’s Department of Health in September announced a standing order making it easier for residents to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Later in the month, Washington said it would align with other states in the West Coast Health Alliance – Oregon, California, and Hawaii -- on recommendations for covid, flu, and RSV immunizations.
Those states’ governors said the alliance was formed to coordinate public health policy and provide “evidence-based” immunization recommendations in response to what they called “blatant politicization” of the CDC by the Trump Administration.
During a meeting of the Grant County Board of Health at that time, county health officer Dr. Alexander Brzezny questioned the revised CDC criteria and said he intended to follow “scientific recommendations … what the doctors are saying.”
“Before, I always followed what the CDC said,” Brzezny told board members. “Now, I will listen to what they say.”
In August, the local health district reported seeing a significant rise in COVID-19 activity in Grant County, including an outbreak at a long-term care facility that claimed at least two lives and affected more than 45 residents and staff.
“Our recent outbreak is a painful reminder that COVID-19 can still have a devastating impact, especially for older adults and people with underlying health conditions,” Brzezny said in a news release issued at the time.
In Washington, respiratory-related vaccines are generally covered by insurance or available at little to no cost through the state’s Childhood Vaccine Program for those age 18 and younger, and through the Adult Vaccine Program for those 19 and older who are uninsured.
The state DOH has also launched a new Respiratory Immunization Dashboard which combines immunization data on flu, COVID-19, and RSV for both adults and children. It shows vaccine coverage by county and demographic, as well as total doses given statewide.
