National Immunization Awareness Month

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The National Public Health Coalition (@nphic) presents National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) every August to highlight the importance of vaccinations for people of all ages. NIAM was created to encourage all people regardless of age to become up-to-date on their vaccines. This awareness month sheds light on diseases that can be prevented with proper vaccinations.

The NPHIC partnered with The Centers for Disease Control and Preventions’s (@CDCgov) National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases to create the educational, communications toolkit to build awareness about the different vaccines for different stages of life. Each week in the month of August concentrates on a different age groups:

• Adults (Aug. 1-7)
• Pregnant women (Aug. 8-14)
• Babies and young children (Aug. 15-21)
• Preteens and teens (Aug. 22-28.)

Throughout the toolkit are four consistent themes:

1. Vaccines protect against serious diseases
2. These diseases still exist and outbreaks do occur.
3. Vaccines are recommended throughout our lives. 4.) Vaccines are very safe.

Vaccinate Through the Years
The month long awareness is structured to stress that vaccines are not just for newborns and toddlers. It is important that people of all ages, from childhood to adulthood and into their senior years, continue to receive vaccinations. One popular myth is that if you are vaccinated as a baby and child you are safe from these diseases for life. With the exception of the flu shot, adults do not realize there are other necessary vaccines. Immunizations wear off over time, so it is imperative to stay current with vaccinations. Due to the outbreak of whooping cough in the United States in 2012, it is now recommended that all adults get one booster of the Tdap whooping cough vaccine. To review a complete list of vaccines by age group and dose amount visit vaccines.gov.

Get Involved
To participate all month long in National Immunization Awareness Month check out check out the list of events happening in your community or add an event here. Read the list of 11 things you can do during NIMA here. To take action by utilizing the additional immunization resources check with your state or local health department. To use the toolkits with logos, graphics and media outreach click here.