The expert panel that makes vaccine recommendations for children and adults in the U.S. has voted to recommend that all children receive the newly licensed rotavirus vaccine. It will be given at 2, 4, and 6 months of age, along with other childhood vaccines. It is an oral vaccine, not another “shot” for babies.
Rotavirus is the leading cause of vomiting and diarrhea (gastroenteritis) in the United States and worldwide. Virtually all children will catch it by the time they are five years old. Each year in the United States over 2.7 million children under 5 catch rotavirus, resulting in over 400,000 doctor and 200,000 emergency room visits, 55,000-70,000 hospitalizations and 20-60 deaths. Overseas in developing countries, rotavirus is a leading killer of children causing over 600,000 deaths each year.
It will take a while for this recommendation to take effect. First, it will not become official until the CDC publishes it later this year. Then once it is officially part of the immunization schedule, insurance companies usually will cover it. However, this often takes months to take effect. Even then, it is becoming increasingly common for insurance companies to reimburse less than the vaccine actually costs, so many doctors cannot afford to give vaccines, especially newer ones, until insurance companies at least cover the cost of the vaccines.
It will be interesting to see what the response of parents is to this new vaccine. Rotavirus is the worst vomiting and diarrhea virus, and it causes a lot of missed days of work and daycare. However, the disease is otherwise relatively benign in this country. Parents will have to consider the risks and benefits for their particular infant and situation and decide whether to give the vaccine or not.