August is National Immunization Awareness Month
National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) is an annual observance held in August to highlight the importance of vaccination for people of all ages.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is encouraging parents to ensure their children’s immunizations are up to date as part of back-to-school preparations.
COVID-19 disrupted both in-person learning and routine well-child visits for many children over the last year. As a result, many children have fallen behind on receiving recommended vaccines. According to the CDC, public sector vaccine ordering data show a 14% drop in 2020-2021 compared to 2019, and measles vaccine is down by more than 20%.
The national vaccination coverage among kindergarten children during the 2020-2021 school year dropped by about 1% from the previous year— that amounts to 35,000 more children without vaccination documents.
Here is a list of resources for educators and parents including information on vaccines, immunization schedules, and answers to frequently asked questions:
CDC’s series of three 1-minute videos
The Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program, which provides free vaccines to children who qualify