North Carolina Residents Can Help Play Critical Role in Protecting Local Communities by Scheduling Immunizations

RALEIGH, N.C., August 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As children head back to school, there is one thing parents and caregivers should not overlook: routine vaccinations against serious infections such as measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus, and hepatitis to name a few. WellCare of North Carolina is dedicated to ensuring North Carolina residents have access to information and resources about routine immunizations to help protect children and communities against preventable illnesses.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, immunizations have declined, with all populations showing a downward trend from pre-pandemic routine immunization rates. Routine vaccinations have proven effective in preventing serious illness within schools and communities. Despite phased school reopenings and the restart of student activities in some states, the immunization rate for children in kindergarten dropped between the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years. This leaves thousands of young students at risk for preventable illnesses when re-entering the classroom for in-person learning.

The more immunized a community is, the harder it is for preventable illnesses to spread. Immunizations not only protect the individuals who are vaccinated, they also protect everyone who interacts with them. As students prepare to return to school, it is as important as ever to ensure children are up to date with their routine immunizations to help prevent illness in children. Childhood immunizations help protect against nearly 14 serious diseases. Without this protection, it is likely communities will see a surge of serious illnesses.

WellCare continues to invest in educational opportunities around vaccinations for members through programs such as Fluvention® which provides comprehensive information about the impact of receiving an annual flu vaccine can have for the health of individuals, their families, and their community.  

"Pediatric vaccination has shown to reduce the rate of vaccine-preventable diseases. We want to ensure families have the information they need to make informed decisions about immunizing their children and accessing vaccines such as the Flu. It is important for families to schedule their regular well-child visits and talk with their primary care providers about any questions they may have regarding childhood immunizations," said Dr. Eugenie Komives, WellCare of North Carolina's Chief Medical Officer. "As a practicing family physician, I saw firsthand the impact of vaccine-preventable illness on my patients who had not received recommended vaccinations. With the start of the school year around the corner, now is the perfect time to catch-up on immunizations that may have been missed."

Individuals can learn more about specific vaccines, immunization schedules, and safety information by contacting the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services or referring to materials developed by the CDC by visiting cdc.gov/vaccines.

For more information about WellCare services and benefits, please visit WellCareNC.com.

Headquartered in Raleigh, WellCare of North Carolina provides government-sponsored managed care services to families, children, seniors, and individuals with complex needs primarily through Medicaid as one of the state's Medicaid Prepaid Health Plans (WellCare of North Carolina), Marketplace (WellCare of North Carolina by Celtic Insurance Company), Medicare Advantage (Wellcare), and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (Wellcare). WellCare of North Carolina is a wholly owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation, a leading healthcare enterprise committed to helping people live healthier lives. For more information, visit www.wellcare.com/nc.

Any reference in this press release to any person, organization, activity, or services related to North Carolina Medicaid does not constitute or imply the endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

SOURCE WellCare of North Carolina