TOLEDO, Ohio — As Ohio is slowly starting to open back up, you might be wondering if you should bring your kids in for well checks with their pediatrician or vaccinations.
Many families are having orthodontist or dentist appointments canceled and kids are also missing those checkups.
So at Tuesday's update on the state's fight against coronavirus, Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton spent a lot of time on kids' health.
She said even though the threat of the coronavirus is very scary, parents need to continue to take their kids to check-ups at their pediatrician's office.
Acton said canceling these visits could increase your kids' chances of getting other life-threatening illnesses.
Gov. Mike DeWine was asked if the state should eliminate the provision allowing parents to refuse to get certain vaccines for their kids, due to reasons of conscience.
He said it's not something that needs to be addressed or changed right now. But added he is concerned that coronavirus fears are making parents pull back from getting other important vaccines.
While he understands many parents are opposed to vaccines, he says medical evidence is clear of their benefits for kids and anyone interacting with them.
While the world waits for a coronavirus vaccine to be developed, Acton doesn't want one's families are used to getting to be ignored.
"Most vaccines are very, very safe so I think vaccines are an important thing for children. We still lose a lot of children to preventable diseases. Children still die from Chickenpox, they still die from measles. So, I certainly do encourage families to talk to their doctor about what's right for them and get vaccinated," Acton said.
DeWine is urging parents to check with their kids' pediatricians about measures their office is taking to reduce the risk of getting the Coronavirus while you're visiting.
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