Make this appointment: Keep up on childhood immunizations even as pandemic plays out

While routine medical visits can be put on hold or held virtually, pediatricians say there is one appointment parents must keep. Childhood vaccinations, especially for babies, are important even during the coronavirus pandemic.

Recent surveys show that the number of parents getting their children vaccinated is down by 50% or more in many places.

"A lot of pediatricians around the world are concerned that we are going to see a slight or significant resurgence of diseases that we haven't seen in a really long time," said Dr. Hope Seidel, a Triangle pediatrician. "We are telling our patients to come in and get every scheduled vaccine that they can."

Seidel says the waiting room at her practice is empty, because patients wait in cars to be called in for appointments. In addition, her practice has designated two of three locations for sick visits and reserves the other for well visits to put patients' minds at ease.

"The vaccine schedule is not arbitrary," she said. "It's elegantly created to boost a certain amount of immunity, and so we want our patients to know that vaccinations are probably the most important thing we do as pediatricians. Keeping them on time to the extent with which we balance their safety in the office is critical."

When pediatricians strictly follow CDC guidelines for pandemic safety, patients are encouraged to bring their children in.

Mari Jones is one of those parents keeping her child on track.

"I just wanted to get things done on schedule," she said. "He's going to middle school later this year, and I wanted to make sure he is healthy, to get that checked out, to make sure vaccines and disease prevention are done on time."

Doctors say keeping other diseases at bay during the coronavirus pandemic is one thing people can control.

"That is something we can do in a place of a lot of uncertainty," Seidel said.

She suggests parents make a call before visiting the pediatrician to find out what safety measures the office has in place for patients getting vaccinations.