Are combination vaccines good for kids?

During the press conference, the President also argued that vaccines should not be made to prevent more than one disease. Trump said, “This is based on what I feel. The mumps, measles–and the three should be taken separately. And it seems to be that when you mix them, there could be a problem. So, there’s no downside in taking them separately. In fact, they think it’s better. So let it be separate.”

Combination vaccines, like MMRV (measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella) or Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis), are made to protect children against several diseases with fewer shots.

Instead of needing a separate injection for each illness, one shot can cover more than one, which saves time and helps children stay on track with the recommended schedule. Missed or delayed vaccines can leave children vulnerable to serious illness. Fewer shots also mean less stress for both kids and parents.

Extensive research shows that combination vaccines are just as safe and effective as giving shots separately. Children today receive far fewer antigens to protect against more diseases than kids did even 30 years ago, when the vaccine schedule used 3,000 antigens to protect against 8 diseases by age two. Today, the vaccine schedule uses 305 antigens to protect against 14 diseases in the same timeframe.

To put this in perspective, children fight off 2,000-6,000 antigens every day just by eating, breathing, and playing.

Combination vaccines simplify the schedule and reduce the number of shots. This helps schools and communities stay safer since fewer unvaccinated children mean fewer chances for diseases like measles, whooping cough, or chickenpox to spread.