Doctors concerned as more Minnesota parents opt out of vaccines for their children
BLAINE, Minn. — At a recent visit to a Hennepin County clinic in Minneapolis, Kadir Ali made the decision to skip the MMR vaccine for his daughter.
"She got five shots including the polio, including the flu, including the pox," Ali said. "I've heard a lot of news going around that if someone takes the MMR, get autistic."
Scientists and studies have made it clear that vaccines save lives and do not cause autism.
But opinions about childhood vaccinations have become increasingly polarized, leaving many parents overwhelmed and unsure of who to trust, says Dr. Lara Al-Ejeilat, a pediatrician with M Health Fairview.
"I've had more vaccine conversations with families. More in the past three years than I've ever had," Al-Ejeilat said.
Parents are asking more questions.
"There's a lot of, 'How are vaccines made? What are the preservatives in them?' I think there's so much information and misinformation out there," Al-Ejeilat said.
Post-COVID, there's been a rise of a few percentage points in families seeking to exempt their kids from required vaccinations.
So many people have shunned the childhood shots that we've been unable to reach herd immunity.
"Once we drop lower, it means that the people who can't get vaccinated or the infants that are too young to get vaccinated are at higher risk and then you start seeing more cases in the community," Al-Ejeilat said.
Minnesota experienced that first-hand last year. Cases of whooping cough hit 3,217 — their highest level since 2012. The state also reported 70 measles cases, including an outbreak infecting students at a Minneapolis Public School.
For comparison, zero measles cases were reported in 2023.
Al-Ejeilat says being judgment-free and building trust with adults is the key to safeguarding children's health.
"I always tell parents that I would never recommend anything to you that I wouldn't do for my own children," Al-Ejeilat said.
At the start of this school year, city data found that nearly 40% of Minneapolis Public School children are behind on their childhood vaccines.
M Health Fairview provides vaccine-only appointments for families looking to get caught up.