National Immunization Awareness Month is an annual observance held in August to highlight the importance of vaccination for people of all ages.

Together, we can help raise awareness about the importance of vaccination and encourage people to talk to a health care provider they trust about staying up to date on their vaccinations.

Addressing Common Concerns

Vaccination is a safe, highly effective, and easy way to help keep your family healthy.

Vaccines can prevent infectious diseases that once killed or harmed many infants, children, and adults. Without vaccines, your child is at risk for getting seriously ill and suffering pain, disability, and even death from diseases like measles and whooping cough.

The disease-prevention benefits of getting vaccines are much greater than the possible side effects for almost all children. The main side effects from vaccines are almost always mild (redness and swelling at the injection site) and go away within a few days.

Parents often have questions about the vaccines recommended for their children. Your child’s doctor can answer any questions you might have. Most families decide to follow the recommended vaccination schedule.

Some of the most important facts about the vaccine schedule are:

• The recommended schedule protects infants and children by providing protection early in life, before they come into contact with life-threatening diseases.
• Delaying or spreading out vaccine doses leaves your child unprotected during the time when they need vaccine protection the most.
• Young children who are cared for at home can also be exposed to vaccine preventable diseases from any number of people or places (e.g., parents, siblings, visitors, playgrounds, grocery stores), so it’s important for them to get all their vaccines at the recommended ages.
• Many of these diseases can be especially dangerous to young children, so it is safest to vaccinate your child at the recommended ages.
• As protection from childhood vaccines wears off, adolescents need vaccines that will extend protection, and add protection from additional infections as well, before the risk of exposure increases.
• Getting every recommended dose of each vaccine provides your child with the best protection possible.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention