Immunization is the Power to Protect Infants
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- Category: Media Releases
- Created: Thursday, 06 April 2017 21:40
- Last Updated: Thursday, 06 April 2017 22:09
- Written by Jennifer King, District Public Information Officer and Risk Communicator
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National Infant Immunization Week starts April 22!
North Georgia – Giving babies the recommended immunizations by age two is the best way to protect them from 14 serious childhood diseases.
The week of April 22-29, 2017 has been declared National Infant Immunization Week, and health departments within the North Georgia Health District in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield Counties are helping to ensure that children are protected against 14 vaccine-preventable diseases by the age of two. The health departments not only provide these vaccines, but they also encourage parents to make vaccinating their children a priority and urge them to talk to family and friends about protecting their children with vaccines. Vaccines and all information are available at the local health department. Click on the LOCATIONS tab above to find the address and phone number for each of our county health departments.
Currently, the United States has the safest, most effective vaccine supply in its history.
Vaccine-preventable diseases still circulate in the United States and around the world, so continued vaccination is necessary to protect everyone from potential outbreaks. Even when diseases are rare in the U.S., they can be brought into the country, putting unvaccinated children at risk.
Most parents vaccinate their children, resulting in high vaccine coverage rates in the U.S.
When people are unvaccinated, outbreaks of diseases like pertussis (whooping cough) and measles can—and do—return.
It is important to vaccinate children on time, according to the childhood immunization schedule, to provide the best protection early in life, when babies are vulnerable and before they are likely to be exposed to diseases.
Since 1994, National Infant Immunization Week has encouraged parents, caregivers, and health care professionals to participate in increasing the awareness of the importance of immunizing children before their second birthday. Refer to the Georgia Department of Public Health's website for immunization scheduling at https://dph.georgia.gov/immunization-schedules.
East Ellijay (GA) 
