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It’s National Immunization Week and America’s top docs have a message for vaccine-hesitant parents

Heather Marcoux
Apr 29, 2019
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It seems like the headlines never end. Every day there's a new news story about a measles outbreak or a case of another vaccine-preventable disease, or about debunked anti-vaccination information and how it has impacted public health over the last decade.

For new parents, wading through these news stories can be overwhelming, but this week America's top doctors—Assistant Secretary for Health, Admiral Brett P. Giroir, U.S. Surgeon General Vice Admiral Jerome M. Adams, CDC Director Dr. Robert R. Redfield—want to press pause on the news cycle and talk directly to new moms and dads.

This week is National Infant Immunization Week, and these officials spoke with Motherly about what parents need to know, and these top docs agree with something we at Motherly have been saying all along: The conversation about vaccination in America needs an injection of empathy.

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"It's important that we continue to recognize that a lot of folks out there who aren't getting their children vaccinated simply need to have their questions answered in a compassionate manner, and in a manner without pressure," says VADM Adams. "We don't want to demonize folks. Everyone just wants to do what's best for their children in their eyes. We've got to continue to do a good job of engaging those folks, not saying you're a bad mom because you chose to spread out the schedule, but saying, look, here is the evidence...And here's all the information out there that shows that this not only effective but safe for your child."

We know that the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is very safe, and that the 1998 research of former doctor Andrew Wakefield linking vaccines to Autism has been debunked repeatedly, but the vaccine hesitancy it created is ongoing and has been described as the World Health Organization as a threat to global health.

America's top doctors agree. They're concerned about what they're seeing and really don't want to return to the pre-vaccine days, where hundreds of American kids died from measles every year. "I'm a pediatrician. I'm also a pediatric critical care specialist, meaning I work in pediatric ICUs. All too often, I treat critically ill children who had vaccine-preventable diseases. I've seen firsthand the devastation to the child and also to the family and the community [after] a death, or a limb amputation or severe brain damage that could have been avoided by a simple vaccination," says ADM Giroir.

Giroir and his colleagues don't want to see children and parents suffering, but they understand the incredible impact misinformation about vaccines has had and want to assure parents these vaccines are safe and there is no benefit to spreading out vaccinations or doing a delayed schedule.

"Missing or delaying vaccinations leaves children vulnerable for serious illnesses for longer than necessary," VADM Adams tells Motherly. "We've got to get that word out, we've got to get the word out that vaccines do not overload the immune system. And that even if the child gets several vaccines in one day, it is a tiny, tiny fraction of the many germs that children are exposed to throughout the day."

For CDC Director Dr. Redfield, National Infant Immunization Week is about opening up a conversation with parents in order to prevent a national health crisis. "We've reached a disturbing marker in the fight to eliminate this disease: the latest data collected by the CDC tells us that there are 695 cases of measles now in 22 states. This is the largest number of cases reported in the United States since measles was eliminated from our country in the year 2000," Redfield explains.

According to Redfield, 94% of parents do choose to vaccinate, but the percentage of children under 2 years old who receive no vaccines has actually increased in recent years to about 1.3%. "That means that there's roughly 100,000 American children under the age of two who are currently not protected against vaccine-preventable diseases. That's far too many children."

The CDC recommends children get the first dose of MMR vaccine at 12 to 15 months of age and a second dose at somewhere between four and six years of age. "Teens and adults should also be up-to-date with their MMR vaccine, and individuals six-month or older should have been vaccinated before leaving on international trips," says Redfield.

America's top doctors want parents to talk to their own doctors if they have questions, but if you want more information about National Infant Immunization Week right now, visit the CDC's website.

You might also like:

Heather Marcoux

Heather Marcoux is the News Editor for Motherly and mom to one little boy. A former television journalist, Heather lives in Canada with her husband, son and a foursome of adorable pets.

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Jenna Dewan uses this belly mask during her pregnancy (and we love it, too)

Are you expecting a baby? If so, you deserve to indulge in some pampering. You could book a prenatal massage or pick up a delicious pint of ice cream or even just allow yourself a movie marathon—or, you could make like Jenna Dewan and treat yourself to a hydrating mask. And no, we're not talking about a face mask.

The actress/dancer, who is expecting her second child, shared an Instagram selfie of herself wearing a mask over her belly. No mask (or anything) can 100% prevent stretch marks (and we're all about celebrating our growing bodies), but hydration helps and feels good, too.

Masking the belly is definitely a novel idea in terms of prenatal self-care, but we can't give Dewan all the credit: The mask is from maternity brand Hatch (Dewan tagged the brand) and was created for this very purpose.

Dewan makes pregnancy pampering look amazing—she wears a black lingerie set in the mirror selfie, which includes the caption "Can you spot the 😉". The caption refers to the adorably tiny winking face that appears on the belly mask.

The dancer/actress/mama announced her pregnancy in September (she'll welcome this baby with new fiancé Steve Kazee). This is hardly the first time she's given us a look at her gorgeous baby bump on Instagram—the Dewan's feed is chock full of stunning photos, making it an excellent place to look for maternity style and photo inspiration. And now, thanks to this belly mask selfie, she's also serving up pregnancy self-care inspo.

HATCH Belly Fix hydrating + biodegradable sheet masks 

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So what's the point of a belly mask, exactly? Well, think about how soft and lovely your face feels after you mask it up— the concept applies here as well. According to Hatch, the Belly Mask can minimize the look of stretch marks and scars in addition to hydrating the belly. Add that to the relaxing nature of masking and we'd say this seems like a win/win for expectant mamas out there.

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The coronavirus sheds light on just how broken our system is for parents

It's impossible for parents, employers and lawmakers to ignore the impact of COVID-19 at this point. The pandemic is disrupting everyday life—and it's highlighting how a work culture that fails to recognize the humanity of employees makes humanity vulnerable.

The Centres for Disease Control doesn't want parents to panic, and we at Motherly don't want parents to panic either. Right now there is no reason for panic but there are plenty of reasons to examine why COVID-19 is so disruptive. There are holes in our social fabric, holes that mothers fall through every day—and these are the holes that could let COVID-19 though.

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This year will be remembered in the history books as the year of the pandemic, but 2020 will also be remembered as the #yearofthemother. Right now, 85% of mothers don't feel society supports or understands them, and the pandemic is highlighting exactly where our weak spots are.

COVID-19 is highlighting the problem with out-of-school days

In our society working mothers are often expected to parent as if they don't work and work as if they don't have the responsibilities of a parent, but when schools close mothers shoulder the burden of society's impossible standards.

Worldwide, almost 300 million kids are out of school due to COVID-19 precautions. Parents are stressed, especially moms, who are 10 times more likely than dads to miss work in situations like these. "I was shocked by the news of the school closures, and thought, 'what should I do?'" Keiko Kobayashi, a mother and senior manager at a multinational staffing service provider in Japan told the Japan Times. She ended up bringing her 7-year-old to work with her, but the solution was less than ideal. "There was no explanation of how this is going to work," she says.

An ocean away, mothers in California had the same thoughts when Governor. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency this week, and unlike Kobayashi, many moms in California don't have the option of bringing kids to the office.

Ruth Pérez is the Superintendent of Paramount Unified School District in Southeast L.A. and she told the Los Angeles Times she's worried about what would happen to families who have limited childcare options if schools close. "There are parents who work and leaving a third- or fourth-grader at home by themselves is something we would want to avoid," Pérez said.

The pandemic is forcing the world to look at a problem mothers face every day. A sick child or a professional development day at school forces mothers to make these decisions every day. And we need to be thinking about solutions to this everyday, not just during the pandemic.

COVID-19 is highlighting the problem with a lack of paid sick leave

Paid sick leave is needed to avoid the scenario Pérez is afraid of and to avoid the spread of the virus, but about 25% of working Americans don't have paid sick leave, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, but this isn't a uniquely American problem. Many workers worldwide, many of them mothers, cannot afford to stay home from work if they feel a sore throat coming on. They simply can't afford to take the precautions the World Health Organization and local health authorities are asking people to take.

Few companies offer employees benefits like backup childcare, which could be extremely helpful in situations like this but in the age of the gig-economy, amid rising childcare costs, many parents are finding flexibility in working as contractors or freelancers. These people don't have paid time off, let alone childcare benefits. The precarious nature of these jobs makes families very vulnerable during a pandemic—and that makes society vulnerable.

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada is one of the most expensive cities in North America, and a single mother of two (who spoke on the condition of anonymity) told CBC News this week that, as a contractor, she would "have to be half dead to not go to work." She suggests that proactive recommendations from the local health authority to stay home when sick are talking to "a different class of people," not to mothers like her who spend 60% of their income on rent. The nameless Vancouver mom is hardly alone in her struggles.

COVID-19 is highlighting how remote work can be a solution

Parents who work as cashiers, cooks, home health care aides, Uber drivers and the like can't possibly do their jobs remotely (that's why they need paid leave) but many jobs in our society can be done from a home and health authorities are recommending that employees who can work from home do.

Here at Motherly that requires no change. Motherly is thriving with a fully remote workforce and more companies are following Motherly's lead during the COVID-19 crisis.

As Buzzfeed News reports, companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Twitter are asking employees to work from home and Twitter's head of human resources, Jennifer Christie predicts that remote work will continue after the pandemic is over. "We'll never probably be the same," Christie told BuzzFeed News. "People who were reticent to work remotely will find that they really thrive that way. Managers who didn't think they could manage teams that were remote will have a different perspective. I do think we won't go back."

Not going back will have a ripple effect, making it easier for parents to manage the demands of work-life balance. If it's possible for a pandemic to have a silver lining, this may be it.

COVID-19 is highlighting inequality in society

Having a job you can do remotely is a privilege not every working parent has, just as paid leave is something not every parent has. That's why groups like Family Values at Work are calling on lawmakers and employers to expand paid leave programs during the pandemic, because society will only be as healthy as its most vulnerable families are during this time.

Parents shouldn't have to choose between following the advice of health authorities or getting evicted, and paid sick and family leave programs could change that—and make a post-pandemic world a better place. During the #yearofthemother we can patch the holes not only for the sake of mothers, but as COVID-19 proves, for the sake of everyone.

What you can do:

  • If you can work from home, talk to your boss about implementing remote work in case schools close or there is an outbreak in your area.
  • If you can't work from home, talk to your co-parent if you have one and others in your support system about plans for childcare in case of school closures or illness.
  • If you want change, write to your reps and let them know how important paid leave policies are for mothers and for the health of the nation.
[Correction: An earlier version of this story stated moms are 10% more likely to miss work when kids can't go to school than fathers are, but mothers are actually 10 times more likely than dads to miss work in situations like these.]
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Walmart is testing a new (and inexpensive) health center model

What if we told you there was a place where uninsured people could stop in for medical checkups and only shell out $30 for the appointment? This may seem at odds with the way our healthcare market is currently shaped—but there is a place where this sort of model exists. And that place is Walmart.

The new offering is called Walmart Health, and it is only available at two locations, at least right now. But Walmart is hoping to expand the clinic concept and some are betting the model will prompt a health revolution in the United States by offering transparent (and low) prices.

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Here's what you need to know: Two Walmart locations, both in Georgia (one is located in Dallas, GA; the other in Calhoun, GA), offer medical appointments on either an appointment or drop-in basis. As for pricing, patients pay just $30 for a medical checkup ($20 for kids), while dental cleanings run $25 and mental health therapy sessions go for $1 a minute.

Let's not get this new Walmart Health model confused with the walk-in clinics that already exist at many locations, tucked inside the stores, or similar models at drug store chains. At those kinds of clinics you might see a nurse practitioner or a doctor for a sore throat one time, but the new Walmart Health centers are a full service approach. It's not trying to be a quick stop where you could get a prescription in a pinch, it's trying to deliver primary care.

The two existing locations have separate entrances and employ physicians, dentists and therapists and other health care workers. Patients can access X-rays, lab tests, fitness classes and eye exams in these locations.

While we don't know exactly how these two centers are faring, a Walmart executive tells Bloomberg that volume has exceeded the retailer's expectations.

According to CNN, Walmart chose Dallas and Calhoun as test towns for Walmart Health because the communities don't have as many primary care physicians as other communities do and also have higher rates of chronic disease. Uninsured people can seek out affordable health care at the clinics and the communities are reportedly enjoying the transparency of pricing. Anyone who has experienced that awful thing that happens when you receive a medical bill and have no idea what to expect (often the price is shockingly high) can understand why this transparency is coveted. By laying out pricing in a clear manner, Walmart aims to eliminate this shock.

Ateev Mehrota, an associate professor of health care policy at Harvard Medical School, told CNN the expanded clinics are "increasing access to care" in these two underserved communities.

Walmart corporate tells Motherly it plans to expand Walmart Health into other communities in Georgia. The next clinic planned is the Loganville, GA location which will open in the summer.

We'll have to wait to see how this all unfolds: We don't know if this model will appear at other Walmart locations or if pricing will remain stable. We don't know what its limitations really look like or how patient care will operate and evolve in the long term, or how accepting citizens will be of health care under the Walmart banner.

"Walmart has struggled historically to be seen as a good citizen," Witold Henisz, professor of management at the Wharton School, told CNBC in 2019, noting criticism of the wages and working conditions at the retail giant.

But Walmart says it's committed to the communities it serves, and when it comes to health care there are many underserved communities that have a Walmart but perhaps not a hospital. A lot remains to be seen as far as Walmart Health goes, but we do know that all parents want to be able to take their child to the doctor when they need one and all communities should have access to health care.

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What went viral this week: A mom's pre-birth selfie, a selfless dad + a helpful coronavirus comic

In a week filled with anxiety-inducing news about the spread of coronavirus, it's important to step away from the hard-hitting headlines for a bit and take a little time for some self-care. If you all do with that time is scroll through some feel-good stories from around the web—trust us, it'll still be worth it to clear your mind a bit.

Amazing and inspiring things are going on every day, from families expanding to moms sharing their hard-earned wisdom to lift up other moms and families, and they're all worth celebrating.

These are the stories that made us smile this week:

This awesome single dad went viral for adopting teen boy left at hospital 😭

A 13-year-old boy has found his forever home, thanks to a big-hearted foster dad. Good Morning America shared the story of Tony Mutabazi and his new dad Peter Mutabazi.

GMA says Tony had been in the foster care system since the age of two. Heartbreakingly, when he was just 11 years old, the family he was staying with at the time abandoned him at a hospital. Around that time, Peter got a call asking if he could take in Tony—an arrangement that was only supposed to last for a couple of days.

But when Peter heard what the boy had been through, the plan immediately changed. "By that time, I was crying. I thought, 'Who would do that?'" Mutabazi told GMA. "Once I knew the parents' rights were signed off and he had nowhere to go, I [knew] I had to take him."

Another big factor in that decision? Peter had once been a 10-year-old runaway in his native Uganda, and he knew what it was like to be in desperate need of a loving home. "For what someone did for me I wanted to do something for someone else," he told GMA.

The world definitely needs more Peters. Peter, you are total #dadgoals.

Quadruplet mom's before-and-after pregnancy photos go viral 

A New Jersey mom is going viral after sharing amazing pictures of her pregnancy journey, showcasing her quadruplet-filled belly side by side with her four little bundles of joy.

Lindsay Hay told TODAY Parents that the path to becoming a mom of five was a hard one, as she went through multiple miscarriages before getting pregnant with her quadruplets. Even then, her doctors urged her to consider a selective pregnancy reduction—which she refused.

She was able to carry the babies to 30 weeks and 4 days, and snapped the picture on the left capturing the size of her belly at that point. On the right, the babies at 30 weeks and 4 days old. Amazing how much things can change in about seven months, isn't it?

Hay says quads Caiden, Madison, Lucas and Grayson have all been thriving at home after their initial 45-day NICU stay. And it may surprise you to hear that Hay says parenting multiples isn't as chaotic as it's often portrayed. "We have our moments, but it's not as hard as people think it is," she told TODAY. "I don't stop, I'm always moving and I'm not sleeping the greatest, but TV makes it look so much more dramatic than it really is."

Artist's viral illustrations + comic explains coronavirus to kids

An artist just made explaining the coronavirus to children so much easier for parents. "Exploring the New Coronavirus, a Comic Just for Kids" is by Malaka Gharib, and parents can print it for free here.

The colorful booklet was created for NPR and is filled with adorable illustrations that explain the virus with age-appropriate facts and info that should soothe kids who are feeling fearful, and it's also based on info from health experts.

It explains that most cases of the virus among kids so far have been mild, with a super cute cartoon likening it to mild and spicy salsa to help little ones understand. It also reassures young readers that doctors and hospitals are closely tracking the virus, so even if someone they know comes down with it, there's a good chance they'll recover just fine.

Another adorable illustration walks kids through the step by step process of proper hand washing—one of the best possible protections from the virus. Perhaps most important of all, it reminds kids that if they're feeling confused or scared, they should never be afraid to talk to a trusted adult.

Mom's viral swimsuit picture is a celebration of post-baby bodies 

There might be a chance you've mourned the loss of your "pre-baby body" at some point, or have heard your mom friends do so. But mom Ashlie Molstad perfectly calls out the futility of doing so in her powerful post. She shared a snap of a new swimsuit she ordered online along with a picture of that same suit worn by a model. Molstad said at first she was disappointed by the way she looked in the one-piece and couldn't help but compare herself to the model.

But then she had a powerful realization.

"After you've had a kid, there is NO SUCH THING as a pre baby body," she wrote. "The body you have postpartum is post baby. And I don't think any of us would trade in our kiddo for the body we had before them, right?"

It's all about perspective, and Molstad's could be eye-opening for lots of moms. Instead of focusing on pounds and inches, Molstad wants more moms to start focusing on living. "Bodies change as we LIVE. And isn't that the miraculous thing about them?! The fact that we can grow, adapt, stretch, change.... in quite the same way WE do as we move through life? Who the hell wants to stay the same forever anyway?! Not me."

And for the record—we think Molstad looks amazing in the suit.

Teen goes viral as video captures a celebration of freedom from cancer 

A moment of triumph for an Ohio teen—19-year-old Matt Driscoll got to ring the bell at Akron Children's Hospital, and the sound just might give you goosebumps once you know what it signifies. The ringing of the bell ritual means that after three incredibly difficult years, Driscoll is now cancer-free.

He was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia when he was just a sophomore in high school, and went through round upon round of chemotherapy to get to where he is now.

The teen told Good Morning America that he was flashing back to all the trying moments he'd experienced in his cancer fight as he rang the bell. "To finally been done with it was overwhelming... that was, without a doubt, the happiest day of my life," he said.

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