Apr 25th, 2022
National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW) is April 24-30, 2022. It's a time to celebrate the critical role vaccination plays in protecting the health of our children and families — and this year, we’re reminding parents of the importance of staying up to date with routinely recommended vaccines following disruptions from COVID-19.
Protection at first breath
As a parent, you want to protect your little one from harm. Vaccinating your child according to the recommended immunization schedule gives him or her the best protection against 14 serious childhood illnesses before the age of 2.
If you forgot about these 14 serious diseases, you can thank vaccines:
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Your child is exposed to thousands of germs every day in his environment. They are born with immune systems that can fight more germs, but there are some deadly diseases their bodies can't handle. That's why they need vaccines to strengthen their immune system.
Did you know? 30 years ago, vaccines used 3,000 antigens to protect against 8 diseases by age two. Today, vaccines use 305 antigens to protect against 14 diseases.
"Thanks to scientific advances, you can protect your child from more diseases with vaccines that contain only a tiny fraction of the antigens that babies encounter in their environment every day."
The Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center encourages you to make sure your child is up to date on vaccines by ensuring that they haven’t missed any check-ups. Well-child visits are essential. If you’re pregnant, now is a great time to find a doctor for your baby and schedule a visit to discuss any questions you have about vaccines.
COVID-19 has caused many disruptions in families’ lives. In some cases, it has meant that children have missed or delayed their wellness checkups and vaccination, which are a critical part of ensuring children stay healthy. We join the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) in recommending that children stay on track with their well-child appointments and routine vaccinations.
If your families are concerned about paying for vaccines, the Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program provides free vaccines to children who qualify.
Other helpful resources:
- Infant Vaccines FAQ
- Vaccines for Your Children
- American Academy of Pediatrics' Parenting Healthy Children
- 2022 Vaccine Schedule
If you have questions about vaccines, please talk to your child's doctor.
Childcare Providers
On-time vaccination is critical to provide protection against potentially life-threatening diseases. Childcare providers can play a critical role in keeping their communities safe by encouraging parents to vaccinate their children against 14 serious diseases. Childcare providers can also help protect themselves and the children in their care by getting the vaccines recommended for adults.
You can make a difference. Trust in vaccines is built through millions of conversations between parents, doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and community members – like you. NIIW provides an opportunity to encourage vaccine conversations at all community levels. Share information on this topic with your parents and network via newsletters, websites and social media channels.
Source: CDC NIIW
