The ever-changing vaccination schedule also presents obstacles, Walker says. State legislation was proposed earlier this year that would have required hepatitis A and chicken pox vaccinations for children before school begins this fall. The bill failed, but the state will begin requiring the varicella vaccination next spring. Federal assistance to states for immunizations has fallen over the past five years, but as the numbers have decreased, states increasingly have been putting that money to work, government statistics show. At the same time, the panel says the private sector should do more.
Most states now give health plans the option of providing selective coverage for vaccines.
Missouri's Childhood Immunization Advisory Committee is holding a meeting next week to analyze the vaccination rates and devise a plan to bring them up. Officials are calling for follow-up visits in clinics with low rates, reminders for parents, and an improved tracking system that would make providers aware of their rates. The state has implemented a registry system that public health clinics use, but that is rarely used by private providers. Officials are trying to make it easier to navigate and have developed a Web-based program to encourage participation. All children born since 1998 are registered in the system.