With all the attention on the coronavirus, doctors and health experts are reminding people to keep their children up to date with immunizations and vaccines.

Childhood vaccination rates declined when shelter-in-place orders were enacted in March, according to data from the state Department of Health.

Health experts and local pediatricians noted that during the first few months, routine visits and checkups were down, which helped lead to the decline in children getting immunized.

The decline was exacerbated by the state's Department of Health temporarily suspending the requirements for children to be immunized before they could go back to school.

The suspension was made under the authority of Gov. Tom Wolf's Proclamation of Disaster Emergency, and since then the suspension has been lifted, requiring children to get their required immunizations.

And pediatricians are assuring parents and guardians that now is the time to take their children in for an office visit.

Dr. Viji Selvaraj, a pediatrician with an office on Evans City Road, said she wasn't keeping track of the exact number coming to her practice, but she said she's noticed a decline since the pandemic.

“We've probably vaccinated about 50 percent of the population we would normally get. We have to push them to come to the office,” Selvaraj said. “We have a long way to go before we catch up.”

The pediatrician said that there are always certain parents who won't get their children vaccinated because of scientifically discredited fears of vaccinations and that the drop in vaccinations for other children can lead to archaic diseases making a comeback.

“You're going to have more measles cases; it's just complicating the issue now with more diseases spreading,” Selvaraj said. “It's not a nice situation.”

According to the Department of Health's data compiled by the Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children and the PA Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics, as of June, vaccination rates have declined within most age groups.

For those up to 11 months old, there is a 14.4% decline; between 1 and 3 years old, 47.3% decline; from 4 to 6, 76.3% decline; from 7 to 10, a 68.5% decline; and from 11 to 18, a 72.3% decline.

And Dr. James Scibilia, a general pediatrician in Beaver County and member of the PA Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics, said that the doctor's office is now among the safest place people can be. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, Scibilia said doctors have undertaken changes to sanitizing their offices and making sure that people aren't contaminating each other.

Scibilia said that even though people are beginning to return to their pediatrician, it will be some time before all of the people who delayed going to the doctor are seen.

“In the beginning of all this, we were seeing very few kids — it impacted revenue and getting patients in,” Scibilia said. “Even if you're trying to get them in, there's a lot of people behind. So, you push the curve forward because you can only see so many people.”

He said that many doctors are prioritizing patients who are 6 years old and younger because they are the ones who need immunizations the most.

The second group pediatricians prioritize is 11 year olds and older — and for similar reasons.

“Those in between are getting the short end of the stick,” Scibilia said.

And with the backlog of patients, there is the added problem of getting everyone their flu shots.

“We're real unsure what this flu season will be like,” Scibilia said. “It's possible it could be real mild or pretty intense cause we don't know what the consequences are with the flu and COVID.”

He noted that flu and COVID-19 symptoms are similar.

“You'll have to get a test,” Scibilia said, “so it's going to be a real mess.”

Aside from vaccinations, there are other reasons to go to the doctor.

“We find all the time health issues during wellness tests. We pick up lots of stuff that parents aren't attuned to,” Scibilia said. “They might be used to their child being a certain way and think it's normal, but we can flag those issues.”

Getting parents to bring their children in is still a top concern during the pandemic, he said.

“People are still a little scared to come into the offices,” Scibilia said. “We're working hard on spacing people, so that you're not in the waiting room with others. When you go to the doctor's office, it's probably the cleanest place you'll be that day.”