Mesquite Pediatrics Blog

Accelerated Vaccine Schedule & Vaccine Availability Concerns

Blog • March 12, 2025 • Vaccines

If you received a text message from us, then you have a child in an age group that is eligible for an accelerated vaccine schedule.  We are having a Saturday morning vaccination clinic on March 1st to provide vaccines for children whose parents are concerned about the availability of vaccines in the future.  Please see more details below and call us to schedule your child for the clinic if you are interested.  We will also be offering flu and COVID vaccines at this clinic. If you cannot make it on the morning of March 1st, you can make an appointment for a time during regular business hours after that date.  While we do not know if any changes may occur we do know that this is a safe and effective strategy.  Our primary goal remains ensuring your child’s health and wellness.

Vaccine Availability Concerns

We have heard from many families who have questions or concerns about potential changes in health policies in our country. As your pediatricians, we want to remind you of our goal of providing the best possible care for your children and helping them grow and thrive in a healthy community. We wish we could predict what will happen with vaccine policy in the near future, but unfortunately we cannot. We do know that the newly-confirmed Secretary of Health and Human Services has been an outspoken critic of vaccines, especially the MMR, HPV, and polio vaccines (references below). At the very least, he founded Children’s Health Defense, an anti-vaccination group; argued against measles vaccination in Samoa during an outbreak that led to 83 deaths; is an interested party in, and stands to profit from, a lawsuit against the manufacturer of the HPV vaccine; and is affiliated with a lawyer who has petitioned for the revocation of the license for polio vaccine.

Some Vaccines can be Given Early

Given the uncertainty regarding the future of vaccinations and protection against vaccine preventable infections, we are offering an optional accelerated vaccination schedule for our patients.  This accelerated schedule is within recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) that guides our immunization practices.  These doses would not be “extra” but would be given early to ensure the child is protected against vaccine preventable infections while the vaccines are available.  They will be just as effective when given on this schedule and will be accepted by any institution with vaccination requirements.

Vaccines on the Accelerated schedule

  • MMRV: 2nd dose available for children 15 months- 4 yrs. Must be at least 3 months after the first dose of MMR & Varicella vaccinations (usually given at 1 yr). If your child is 4 years or older and has not yet received this vaccination they would also be eligible.  (Informative Links: RFK and Samoan Measles Outbreak, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia on: MMR, Varicella, Sabin Vaccine Institute Q&A)
  • HPV: Series can be started at 9 years of age instead of the usual 11 years of age.  If your child has not received this vaccination and is 9 years or older they are eligible. The second dose will be given 6 months later.  (Informative Links:  RKF on HPV Vaccine Lawsuit, Children’s Hospital of Philadelpha on: HPV)
  • DTaP/Hib/IPV (Pentacel) and pneumoncoccal vaccine: 4th doses available for infants 12 months-14 months. Must be at least 6 months after the 6 month vaccinations. (Informative Links:  Children’s Hospital of Philadelpha on: RFK Lawyer Petitions to Revoke Polio Vaccine License, DTaP, Hib, Polio)

More Links that May be of Interest