Mayor Bill de Blasio says there has been an alarming decrease in the number of children getting vaccinations.

The mayor says he understands that parents would rather stay home to keep their children safe, but pediatricians are insisting they are taking extra safety precautions for families to make appointments.

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Vaccinations for children have dropped in New York City in recent weeks as families quarantine and most doctors’ offices remain closed during the pandemic.

Health Department numbers show that overall vaccinations are down 63% from a year ago. Alarming numbers that doctors say need to change.

The mayor says shots for children two and under are down 42% and for children two and up, those numbers are down 91%. Doctors say clinics have been taking extra steps to keep their patients safe by limiting waiting hours to avoid overcrowding, urging that vaccinations can prevent a disease like pneumonia.

The city is providing shots for free at over 1,000 city facilities, as well as at all NYC Health + Hospitals clinics.