Delaware is not changing its childhood vaccine guidance despite recent alterations to federal recommendations in an executive order from President Donald Trump.
The executive order establishing new federal childhood vaccine recommendations advised states to consider updating vaccination requirements.
Delaware is declining to reduce the number of diseases for which vaccines are universally recommended for children or move some vaccines to shared clinical decision-making among other federal recommendations.
Delaware’s Surgeon General Dr. Neil Hockstein says separating the MMR vaccine and others into separate shots could actually be harmful.
"It's inhumane for children to get stuck that many times, and it's inconvenient and potentially inaccessible for parents who are working,” said Hockstein. “Worse than that you can't get a measles vaccine that is not coupled with mumps and rubella today. And so this executive order isn't simply asking vaccine manufacturers to make those formulations available, but it's suggesting that parents do something that can't be done. And so it sends a mixed-signal signal to parents."
Hockstein says while it can be dangerous for those who don’t get the vaccine, it can also be dangerous for others – especially those with cancer.
"You could potentially impact not just their life because of a communicable disease, but also their life because they have to delay cancer treatments while they're recovering from an infection," said Hockstein.
Hockstein notes that combination vaccines like MMR have been safely used for decades, and that vaccines do not cause autism.
He adds making families and children take additional trips for shots is inhumane, and can create unnecessary barriers and more opportunities for children to fall behind.
The state continues to support getting routine childhood vaccinations in line with the guidelines set by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Hockstein adds Delaware will do everything in its power to make sure there’s access to vaccinations according to the schedules, and that there's insurance coverage for them.
