August is recognized as National Immunization Awareness Month to highlight the importance of vaccinations for people of all ages.

As Americans continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, the rates of vaccinations and routine child care have declined as some parents avoid seeking medical services for their children in-person. Recent data shows a decrease in childhood vaccinations that help protect against preventable diseases.

"With lower than normal vaccination coverage among all age groups, children may be at higher risk for vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, whooping cough and chicken pox," said Dr. David Harmon, Chief Medical Director at Superior Health Plan in a piece for PR Newswire. “Even during these uncertain times, it's important that we continue to encourage immunizations as these can protect children from preventable health complications."

Among children who are five months old, vaccination rates have declined from approximately two-thirds (66.3 percent) of children from 2016 through 2019 to fewer than half (49.7 percent) in May 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC also reports similar trends among older children, with non-influenza vaccination rates decreasing by 21.5 percent for children under 18 years old.

A vaccine or immunization is a way to build a person's natural immunity to a disease before getting sick. This keeps the disease from spreading.

Immunizations can save a child's life: Some diseases that once caused serious illness or death have been eliminated completely and others are close to extinction - primarily due to safe and effective vaccines.

Vaccinations are safe and effective: Vaccines are only given to children after a long and careful review by scientists, doctors and healthcare professionals.

Immunization protects others: Vaccinations protect other people, including family members, friends and grandparents as well as those who are unable to get vaccines due to other health concerns.

There's high hopes that the U.S. will soon develop its own vaccine to guard against the coronavirus.

With the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic and some 171,000 American deaths since the outbreak began (according to CDC numbers) it's more important than ever to combat dangerous misinformation surrounding vaccinations.