North Carolina health officials are continuing to urge residents to get vaccinated, even as the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention scales back some of its broad vaccine recommendations.
The CDC recently stopped broadly recommending vaccines for the flu, some forms of meningitis and RSV, instead limiting guidance to people considered high risk or those advised by their doctors. State officials say those changes will not alter North Carolina’s vaccination guidance.
Dr. Dev Sangvai, secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, said the state does not plan to change its childhood immunization recommendations.“
Although the CDC has changed its immunization schedule for children and adolescents, North Carolina does not anticipate any changes to our clinical guidance regarding childhood immunizations,” Sangvai said. “Vaccines save lives and help children build protection against serious illness.”
The renewed push for vaccinations comes as North Carolina has reported four recent measles cases and an increase in flu-related deaths. State health officials say 71 people have died from the flu so far this season — already higher than at the same point last year.Health officials said the measles cases reported in North Carolina have been linked to an ongoing outbreak in South Carolina.
State leaders continue to encourage residents to stay up to date on recommended vaccines and to consult health care providers about individual risk factors.