Fewer SD children are getting the MMR vaccine — how the Department of Health plans to fix it

The number of South Dakota children receiving common childhood vaccinations ahead of starting kindergarten has continued to drop, according to the South Dakota Department of Health.

The lagging number is because of aftershocks from the COVID-19 pandemic as well as growing vaccine hesitancy, DOH Secretary Melissa Magstadt told lawmakers during a Government Operations and Audit Committee meeting Tuesday.

"We've also gotten some loss of trust in the public health in what we do," she said. "We've got to run back some things because I do not want to see that dropping down any further than it is. We used to do really well."

Between 2018 and 2022, the percentage of children receiving measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccines ahead of kindergarten has dropped by about 4%, down from 96.2% to 92.7%.

However, compared with surrounding states, South Dakota continues to lead with higher vaccination rates, according to 2021 data. Iowa, Minnesota and North Dakota had lower percentages of MMR vaccinations at the time.

Magstadt said, during the COVID-19 pandemic, some clinics closed, which left families unable to get their kids preventative care, such as vaccinations. She added confusing public health messaging also existed during the pandemic between the COVID-19 vaccine and childhood preventive vaccines.

"That muddied the water a little bit," she said.

Even though MMR vaccine percentages have dropped, Magstadt said there has not been an uptick in MMR cases in South Dakota children recently.

More: Gov. Kristi Noem, DOH grow medication stockpiles from 2 to 7 cities in South Dakota

To get families and children the MMR vaccines they need, Magstadt said DOH officials are working with clinics to reach patients and are planning to roll out new mobile clinics that will be equipped to give vaccinations to populations who may be unable to travel to a local clinic. The mobile clinics will have refrigerators inside to stotre vaccines properly. There will also be a new public health campaign, though the cost is currently unclear.

The mobile clinics will allow the DOH "to be able to mobilize and get out to the people instead of spending less time thinking that people should overcome all these barriers to get to us," Magstadt said.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Measles, mumps and rubella vaccine rates for kids drop in South Dakota