Vaccines have been in the headlines a lot over the last few months. Changes to the recommended schedule, oversight and concerns over access have left many parents with unanswered questions. In this episode we check in with our resident vaccine expert, Dr. Dean, about the recent news headlines. We provide rationale and evidence to support the importance of maintaining vaccine recommendations and access for all children. We highlight where parents can look for sound and scientific advice. We discuss specific vaccines including MMR, chickenpox, hepatitis B and COVID and review herd immunity and why school vaccine mandates help protect all children. 

Resources 

All About the AAP Recommended Immunization Schedule - HealthyChildren.org

Why Pediatricians Recommend Vaccines: An Open Letter to Parents - HealthyChildren.org

Why Hepatitis B Vaccination Begins at Birth | Johns Hopkins

Community Immunity | voices for vaccines

The opinions expressed on the podcast are those of the hosts or guests. They do not reflect the views of UC Davis Health.