Concern as vaccine rates for kids returning to school drop, diseases resurge: expert

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- There's a call to action as children return to school and vaccination rates drop dangerously low among kids entering kindergarten.

"We're on the cusp of going below 95% in California," UCSF infectious disease expert Dr. Peter Chin-Hong said. "In the rest of the country they're already below 95% after be well above 95% for many years."

Dr. Chin-Hong says it's worrying to watch the numbers slide so close to the threshold.

"Moving below 95% means that we'll have more disease in the population because we don't have that forcefield of herd immunity anymore so it can get through and can spread it to another person," he said.

MORE: New COVID surge emerges as Bay Area students head back to school

As many children around the Bay Area head back to school, health officials are warning about a new COVID surge in Northern California.

He also says it means the resurgence of some diseases.

"We'll be seeing a lot of diseases clinicians haven't seen in years, like measles and polio," Dr. Chin-Hong said. "Many of us have had to go back to learn about these diseases because we haven't seen them until this year."

Children entering kindergarten are required get vaccinated for diseases such as as measles, whooping cough, and polio, but exemptions can be made.

"I think because of hesitancy or other reasons, there have been more exemptions, and one will have to wonder if some of the exemptions are not the same that would have passed a few years ago," Dr. Chin-Hong said.

This past week, the Trump administration announced it's cutting annual COVID-19 vaccine availability for healthy young adults and children.

Instead, they are making the shots available for older adults, as well as young adults and children with at least one health problem that puts them a higher risk.

Dr. Chin-Hong says it's still unclear exactly how that's going to play out, suggesting now is the time to get your child the COVID booster.

"We're not really sure what will happen in the fall with kid vaccines and COVID," he said. "Right now it's available. The fall vaccine is going to be very similar to the one we have now, so for concerned parents you can consider getting that shot particularity if the child hasn't had one in the last year or so."