U.S. local health officials urge vaccination, warn against misinformation

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Health officials across the United States signed a statement on Monday, criticizing false vaccine information from federal officials and urging Americans to get vaccinated as the respiratory virus season approaches.

"As leaders of the nation's largest local health departments, collectively serving nearly 50 million people across America's cities, we are committed to providing our communities with every opportunity to support and improve health," said the statement of the Big Cities Health Coalition, a forum for the leaders of the largest U.S. metropolitan health departments.

"We are united behind a simple message: get vaccinated," it noted.

It said vaccines have eradicated devastating diseases and saved millions of lives, and vaccination helps keep classrooms safe and schools open, allowing children to spend time with friends, and parents and caregivers to work to support their families.

"Despite this extraordinary success, vaccination rates are declining in many parts of the United States, and deadly outbreaks of diseases like measles and polio are becoming more frequent," the statement warned.

It also expressed deep concern over "repeated false claims about vaccines" from some federal officials, noting that such misinformation has contributed to falling vaccination rates.

It also criticized recent changes to the recommended childhood and adult immunization schedules that "unnecessarily limit access to vaccines," urging federal health leaders to follow the lead of pediatricians and medical researchers, and support vaccination to protect children, families and communities.

With the respiratory virus season approaching, the statement urged Americans to "tune out the political noise" around vaccines and consult trusted doctors or public health professionals to decide which vaccines are right for them and their loved ones.