National Infant Immunization Week Begins Today!
Dear Partners,
It's National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW)!
NIIW is an annual, week-long observance to amplify the importance of protecting children from vaccine-preventable diseases. It’s also an opportunity to highlight the achievements of your immunization program’s role in supporting healthy communities, especially over the last two years, which were far from routine.
New CDC data show the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on routine childhood immunization. During the 2020-2021 school year, national vaccination coverage dropped from 95% to below 94%, which amounts to 35,000 more children across the U.S. entering kindergarten without documentation of complete vaccination against common diseases. Moreover, nearly 400,000 fewer children entered kindergarten than expected. Those children, too, might not be up to date on their routine vaccinations— further evidence of how pandemic-related disruptions to healthcare and education could have lingering consequences for school-age children.
This year, NIIW serves as an important reminder to get back to some of our routines, including well-child checkups and routine vaccines, which many families missed as a result of COVID-19 disruptions. CDC encourages partners to work with families, schools, and healthcare providers to make sure children are on track with their recommended vaccines.
Protecting children against serious, vaccine-preventable diseases, such as measles and whooping cough, is more important now than ever. We hope you will join us in spreading awareness of the importance of recommended childhood vaccines and encouraging parents to make sure their child is up to date with their vaccinations.
- Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn posts
- Website badge and email signature
- Newsletter announcements for parents, childcare providers, healthcare providers, and the public
Thank you for your work to support routine childhood vaccination!
Sincerely,
Georgina Peacock, MD, MPH, FAAP
Director (Acting)
Immunization Services Division
