INDIANAPOLIS—National Infant Immunization Week, April 18-25, serves as a reminder of how important it is for infants to get life-saving immunizations on time. The week highlights the importance of protecting infants from vaccine-preventable diseases and celebrates the achievements of immunization programs in promoting healthy communities.
Since 1994, hundreds of communities across the United States have joined together to celebrate the critical role vaccination plays in protecting our children, communities and the public’s health. National Infant Immunization Week will be celebrated as part of World Immunization Week an initiative of the World Health Organization.
“There have been several advances in the field of medicine with immunizations,” said State Health Commissioner Jerome Adams, M.D., M.P.H. “Infants and children can be protected against a variety of diseases. Thanks to vaccinations, many lives have been saved and some diseases like polio have been all but eradicated in Indiana and the United States.”
Because of immunizations, milestones have been reached in controlling vaccine-preventable diseases among infants worldwide. Vaccines have drastically reduced infant death and disability caused by preventable diseases in the United States. Through immunization, we can now protect infants and children from many vaccine-preventable diseases before age 2.
Immunizations are safe and effective and can protect future generations by reducing and in some cases eliminating diseases. Opportunities afforded by National Infant Immunization Week include alerting parents to the dangers of vaccine-preventable diseases, especially to infants and young children, and the importance and benefits of childhood immunizations. To educate parents and caregivers about the importance of vaccination in protecting their children from birth against vaccine-preventable diseases.
More information about National Infant Immunization Week can be found athttp://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/events/niiw/index.html.
Visit the Indiana State Department of Health at www.StateHealth.in.gov. Follow the Indiana State Department of Health on Twitter, at @StateHealthIN and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/isdh1.
Hoosiers who do not have health care coverage or access to a doctor are encouraged to check availability for the new Healthy Indiana Plan—HIP 2.0—by visiting www.HIP.IN.gov or calling 1-877-GET-HIP-9.
