LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A health official in Kentucky said vaccine hesitancy is a public health crisis in the state.
"Here in Kentucky, we are at risk of unraveling 50 years of vaccine policy that has protected us from devastating infectious disease with life-long effects," Ben Chandler, president and CEO of the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, said in a news release. "Even a small decline in the number of parents who decide to get their children vaccinated for diseases such as measles, mumps, polio or chickenpox puts us at risk of a potential outbreak."
Although there has been decreasing hesitancy to the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, with results showing the hesitancy rate has declined by roughly one-third over six months, there is still doubt amongst some Kentuckians.
In a poll by the foundation, just seven out of 10 Kentucky adults agree strongly or somewhat that all routine vaccines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are beneficial. The study also found that four out of five Kentuckians agree strongly or somewhat that being vaccinated is important for the health of others in the community.
The poll includes a +/- 4.3% margin of error.
The 2021 Howard L. Bost Memorial Health Policy Forum is being held virtually Sept. 20-21, discussing vaccines and immunization rates. To register, click here.
To read more information about the poll and its results, click here.
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