B.C. Childhood Vaccination Rates Decline Post-COVID-19 Pandemic

Childhood vaccination rates in British Columbia (B.C.) have not recovered from the decline that began during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to data from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC). The province is witnessing a notable decrease in routine immunizations among children, which has raised concerns among health officials and parents alike.

Data indicates a “small-to-medium decline” in vaccination rates for children since 2021, as stated by Dr. Jia Hu, the interim medical director of immunization programs at the BCCDC. This decline is particularly significant among seven-year-olds, where more than one-third of second-graders are not up-to-date on essential vaccines such as those for mumps and measles. From 2021 to 2024, vaccination rates dropped from 72.5 percent to 63.8 percent, nearly a 10 percent decrease over three years.

The pandemic has made vaccine accessibility a challenge, but Dr. Hu pointed out that this is only part of the problem. A stable number of documented refusals—where parents explicitly decline vaccinations—suggests that the actual immunization rates could be higher. Records for children vaccinated outside the province might also be incomplete, complicating the overall assessment of vaccination coverage.

As B.C. experienced a period of heightened migration, some families may not have had the opportunity to update their children’s health records. Dr. Hu emphasized that while the provincial data is limited, it remains valuable for identifying broader trends over time. For instance, although the vaccination rates for older children are concerning, the data for two-year-olds shows a similar trend. In 2024, only 69.5 percent of two-year-olds were up-to-date on routine vaccinations, a decline from the 73 to 74.3 percent range observed between 2016 and 2020.

Vaccine hesitancy has emerged as a growing concern. A recent poll conducted by Angus Reid revealed that one in six Canadian parents with children under the age of 18 are “really against” vaccinating their kids, a significant increase from 2019. Additionally, the number of parents uncertain about vaccinations for their young children has doubled, rising from 8 percent to 16 percent. This alarming trend prompted Brian Conway, medical director of the Vancouver Infectious Diseases Centre, to describe it as “a disaster of epic proportions.”

Despite these challenges, the data suggests that B.C. children generally catch up on their vaccinations as they age. Public health clinics in schools provide scheduled vaccines in Grade 6 and Grade 9, helping to ensure that children receive any missed immunizations. As a result, coverage for all antigens has improved since the lows experienced in 2021 when the focus on COVID-19 impacted public health resources.

In fact, there has been a “dramatic increase” in the uptake of the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine this year, with an increase of 30 to 40 percent compared to the previous year. This surge may be attributed to a rise in measles infections, with 102 cases reported across the province as of July 2024. Nevertheless, Dr. Hu is advocating for even higher immunization rates, particularly for measles, which saw coverage of only 70 percent for seven-year-olds in 2024, compared to over 80 percent for German measles and hepatitis B.

Health officials are using immunization data strategically to target clinics and campaigns in areas with the lowest vaccination rates. For instance, the Kootenay Boundary region had the lowest coverage for seven-year-olds in 2023, at just 54 percent. The Okanagan region followed closely at 60 percent. Conversely, the Northern Interior had the highest rate in the province at 75.6 percent.

To address the decline in human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine rates, the province plans to simplify the vaccination schedule and expand eligibility for individuals aged 19 to 26. In 2023, the HPV vaccination rate for females in Grade 9 was 60 percent, while for males it was 57.7 percent.

As part of ongoing public health efforts, notifications for seasonal flu and COVID-19 vaccine appointments were recently sent out to residents. These vaccines are available at no cost, marking a continued commitment by health officials to improve vaccination rates across British Columbia. The first vaccinations were administered on March 5, 2024, as part of this campaign.