August is National Immunization Awareness Month

August is National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM). During the month, communities are educated on the importance of vaccination for people of all ages.

“Getting vaccinated according to the recommended immunization schedule is one of the most important things a parent can do to protect their child’s health,” says the National Public Health Information Coalition (NPHIC). “Disease can quickly spread among groups of children who aren’t vaccinated. Whether it’s a baby starting a new child care facility, a toddler heading to preschool, a student going back to elementary, middle or high school — or even a college freshman — parents should check their child’s vaccination records.”

There are a number of local organizations and resources where parents, teachers and officials can seek additional information. The Partnership for Public Health in Lancaster County was established to discover local solutions to the public health challenges.

“The Lancaster County Immunization Coalition helps to educate health providers and the public in the community about the latest scientific updates in immunizations,” said Dr. Alan S. Peterson, Penn Medicine/Lancaster General Health. “Immunizations are listed as one of the top 10 of the world’s greatest public health achievements of all time and listed number one by some.”

To download NPHIC toolkit, please click here. Interested in learning more? Contact us!