It’s understandable that many people put off preventive and primary care during the coronavirus pandemic. But here in New York state, HPV vaccination among adolescents increased in 2020 in areas beyond New York City. Recognizing the challenges of the pandemic, health-care providers got creative. For example, they administered vaccines via drive-through clinics, mobile vaccination units and home visits. Or they made simple adjustments to minimize risks in their offices, such as having patients wait for an exam room outdoors or modifying appointment schedules to conduct wellness visits in the morning and sick visits later in the day. These measures likely contributed to the increased rates of vaccinations against both HPV and childhood illnesses, including measles, mumps and chickenpox, in New York in 2020.
