National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW) is an annual observance highlighting the importance of protecting infants from vaccine-preventable diseases and to acknowledge all the accomplishments of immunization programs in promoting healthy communities.
Vaccines work with the immune system to help protect from diseases and prevent serious illness. Thanks to vaccines, we don’t hear too often about children being stricken with serious diseases such as polio, measles, mumps or diphtheria. From birth to two years old, vaccines against 14 different illnesses are available. The recommended schedule is determined by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) after review of many factors including the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine, the severity of the disease, and how well the vaccine helps the body produce immunity to the disease. “Staying up to date on infant immunizations is crucial to providing early and long term protection, preventing complications, and reducing the spread of illness in the community,” stated Daniel W. Gilmore, Ph.D., MPH, Director of Health.
Vaccines are among the most successful cost-effective public health tools available for preventing disease and death. Not only have vaccines drastically reduced deaths and disabilities of infants, but between 1994 and 2018, vaccines will prevent an estimated 419 million illnesses, 8 million hospitalizations, and 936,000 early deaths over the course of their lifetimes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
COVID-19 has caused many disruptions in children’s lives, including missed or delayed wellness checkups and vaccinations. Early on in the pandemic, many children were schooling at home and families may have postponed checkups and wellness visits and potentially missing important immunizations. Parents are encouraged to check with their children’s pediatricians to ensure their children are up to date with their vaccines.
Vaccine specific information and recommended schedules can be found online at https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/. If your child is in need of a vaccination and you are unable to make an appointment with the pediatrician, appointments can be made with the Oneida County Health Department Utica or Rome clinics by calling 315-798-5747.
Utica Clinic: Rome Clinic:
406 Elizabeth Street 300 West Dominick Street
Utica, NY 13501 Rome, NY 13440
Monday THROUGH Friday Monday AND Friday
8:30 a.m. -4:00 p.m. 8:30 a.m. -4:00 p.m.
1st Thursday of each month 8:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. 1st Monday of each month 8:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
