Immunizations

Immunization Awareness

August 2016

This month marks the importance of immunizations for both kids and adults. Vaccines help prevent serious and sometimes life threatening diseases.

The National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) was started to simply highlight and remind people to be vaccinate.

The topic of vaccinations/immunizations is very important to me. One of my books I wrote is "Trouble Across the Bay".

Immunizations typically contain a weakened version of the full strength germ that causes the specific disease. Once this enters the body, the body recognizes the injection as foreign and creates antibodies to fight the injected foreign particles (antigens).

Each week of the month features a specific age group all of whom need to be up-to-date on their vaccines.

Adults August 1-7

Pregnant women August 8-14

Babies and young children August 15-21

Preteens and teens august 22-28

These weeks are just a good way to highlight specific age groups because everyone needs to up-to-date on vaccines.

The CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) has made an easy to read immunization schedule for 0-6rs old. It is located at http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/downloads/parent-ver-sch-0-6yrs.pdf

Another useful tool from the CDC is the diseases that are prevent by vaccines. Again, this is another useful tool for understanding the need for immunizations.

https://www.nphic.org/niam/item/9570

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/events/niam.html