Most Americans are not getting vaccinated this year, CDC says

Alarming data from the CDC suggests that most people, especially children, are not getting vaccinated against the Flu, Covid-19, and RSV.

FOX 5 is told that roughly 30 percent of people in the northern Virginia area are vaccinated across the board. While overall respiratory illnesses are low and stable, public health officials are concerned that the low number may cause those numbers to spike this holiday season.

"The louder that we can be about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines the better," says Christina Johns, PM Pediatrics Senior Medical Advisor. 

The concern is that the messaging has not been loud enough. The Virginia state health department's page has articles but no videos on the importance of vaccines.

They also make occasional social media posts but when FOX 5 asked about advertisements, billboards or public service announcements, we were told that it could be too much and could cause people to feel that there is too much government involvement in vaccine messaging.

FOX 5 was also told that after the push in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic to get the vaccine, that now there is overall vaccine apathy. The medical community is hoping to change that.

"We have offered nearly 200 free flu shots to Alexandrians during our October flu event," says Dr. David Rose, Director of the Alexandria Health Department.