There have been two confirmed cases of measles in Colorado within the last week, one in Pueblo and one in Denver. Both of these cases were in unvaccinated people who had recently traveled to Mexico. There are several small measles outbreaks elsewhere throughout the country, and one large outbreak still ongoing in Northwest Texas. As the situation continues to evolve, our practice is diligently monitoring this quickly evolving situation and doing our best to comply with current CDC guidelines as possible with our current limited supply of MMR vaccine. The most important guideline is for every child to receive their usual dose of the MMR vaccine at one and four years of life. Also, there are now circumstances where it may be advisable to give a baby between the ages 6 to 11 months an additional, early dose of the MMR vaccine. This would constitute an extra dose and does not replace the need for the usual MMR vaccine at one year of life. The CDC guidelines currently recommend this preliminary extra dose for infants who will be traveling internationally or to an area of active measles outbreak. Currently, our local area does not currently qualify as an area of outbreak. However, we want to be forward thinking and prepared when it comes to the possibility of additional local cases in the near future. For this reason, we will be doing our best to offer an early, extra dose of the MMR vaccine to all babies between 6 to 11 months old. We are currently working on the logistics of being able to get enough of the vaccine in stock to successfully administer these extra doses, and we appreciate your patience as we work to do so. We also have a limited amount of vaccine appointment availability each day, but we will do our best to accommodate as many patients as quickly as possible. If you would like your 6-11 month old child to receive this extra MMR vaccine dose, please give our office a call. Please note that we unfortunately have no control over whether insurance coverage for an MMR vaccine will be covered for infants under the age.

Dear DWP families, Many of you have heard about the measles outbreak currently happening in Northwest Texas and are understandably concerned about the possibility of this affecting your children. This avoidable outbreak is unfortunate and serious news. It is also currently localized to mostly unvaccinated people in one small area of Texas. Reassuringly, there have not been any cases of measles in Colorado to this point. Measles is a reportable illness, meaning that if there is even one case in Colorado that we and every other pediatric practice will know about it immediately. Currently the recommendation is simply to vaccinate your children with the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine on the usual schedule of one dose when they are one year old and another when they turn four. The schedule is science based and confers adequate protection. It is currently not recommended to get any extra or early MMR doses unless you’re traveling to an area of active measles outbreak, as the current risk of exposure in our community is extremely low. Currently, the only area meeting this criteria is Northwest Texas. Our policy is in line with the American Academy of Pediatrics and CDC recommendations. We have also personally consulted today with the Colorado Department of Public Health and have been advised that our patients who are vaccinated on schedule are at extremely low risk for infection. Giving extra doses of the vaccine outside of this recommendation would lead to a shortage of vaccine in our clinic. If, in the future, a measles outbreak does occur in our community it is possible that these recommendations may change. We’re actively monitoring the situation every day, so If this happens our families will be the first to know. Best, Your DWP Providers

It is with great sadness that we write to let you know of the recent passing of Dr. Gini Taylor on January 12, 2025. As many of you know, she valiantly endured various cancer treatments and surgeries for over a year in hopes of returning to Denver West Pediatrics to resume caring for all of you who were her patients. She loved all of you with a passion and commitment rarely seen in the practice of modern medicine and there was nothing that she found more fulfilling in this world than connecting with each of you. She will be dearly missed by all of us who were lucky enough to enjoy the benefit of her friendship and doctoring. We are so sorry to be the bearer of such difficult news. We will be doing our very best to continue on in Dr. Gini’s tradition of providing the best possible care for your children and adolescents in her honor. We are in touch with Dr. Gini’s family and we will send out an email through Follow-my-Health to notify you about plans for a future Celebration of Life later this year. In lieu of flowers, per Dr. Gini’s wishes donations may be made to the Colorado Gynecologic Cancer Alliance ( https://www.gyncancercolorado.org) or the Dumb Friends League ( https://www.ddfl.org/donation-center/).

We’re excited to announce that the new RSV immunization (Nirsevimab) is now available at our clinic for the 2024-2025 respiratory season! Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common virus that can lead to severe respiratory illnesses, especially in young children and those with weakened immune systems. This new immunization provides a critical tool to help prevent RSV infections, reducing the likelihood of severe symptoms and hospitalizations. Who Should Receive the RSV Immunization? The RSV immunization is recommended for: Infants under 8 months old during the RSV season Children 8 through 19 months of age who have chronic conditions (such as chronic lung disease and immune suppression) putting them are at increased risk for severe RSV How the Immunization Works This immunization is designed to boost immunity against RSV, reducing the chance of infection and making it easier for children to recover if they do become exposed. The new RSV immunization differs from typical vaccines by providing passive immunity instead of active immunity. Rather than stimulating the body to produce its own antibodies, this immunization delivers ready-made antibodies directly. These antibodies offer immediate, temporary protection against RSV. This is especially helpful during the peak respiratory season but, unlike traditional vaccines, it does not lead to long-term immunity. This approach is especially beneficial for young children who may not yet have the immune strength to respond effectively to a typical vaccine. Side effects are also much less frequent than with a traditional vaccine. Schedule Your Appointment We encourage families with infants under 8 months of age to book an appointment as early as possible, especially as RSV season typically begins in the fall and peaks in winter. Our team is here to answer any questions you may have about RSV and the new immunization. Please feel free to reach out to our office for more information or to schedule an appointment. Warm regards, Your DWP family