National Immunization Awareness Month
Every year for the month of August, the effort to highlight the value of immunizations is broadcast from health centers and agencies across the United States. National Immunization Awareness Month Philadelphia (NIAM) promotes how immunizations have changed the country over the decades by saving countless lives and preventing far more from contracting illnesses which might do permanent damage.
The National Public Health Information Coalition (NPHIC) is at the heart of coordinating the activities for NIAM and in every state and major city are programs that are designed to boost awareness of what immunization has done for the people of the United States.
The History of NIAM
While immunization has been a big part of people’s lives for many decades, complacency and misinformation have created doubts in new generations of adults about the value of proper immunization for our children as well as adults.
It was not all that long ago that polio killed or maimed millions of children and smallpox was a major threat that would kill one out of every three it touched. The same is true for measles, mumps and other diseases or conditions that greatly affected the health and wellbeing of our children.
However, it takes constant reminders that while polio and smallpox may be gone, there are still many other diseases out there that threaten the health and lives of children across the United States. Plus, many adults and the elderly need immunization also from the flu and pneumonia which also kills by the thousands every year.
How NIAM Works for Your Community
This year, the participating health centers are communicating to the public the importance of immunization at different points in a person’s life. Each week emphasizes a new group of people that should be considering immunization against various diseases.
- First Week: Teens & Pre-Teens
- Second Week: Pregnant Women
- Third Week: Adults
- Fourth Week: Infants & Children
The emphasis on getting immunizations not only for infants, toddlers and small children, but for all stages of life is what National Immunization Awareness Month Philadelphia is all about. This is an important month because millions of children around the US are going back to school which raises the possibility of spreading disease. Properly immunized children are not only protected, but it also brings a peace of mind that many major illnesses are now preventable with the proper immunization.
Plus, in promoting the various immunization programs that are available to people of all ages, more can get the protection they needed from various illnesses that can save lives. This is especially true when flu season arrives in the winter and when new diseases are discovered. By providing information about what to do, people can then protect themselves against various illnesses that otherwise would greatly affect their health or worse. This is why NIAM is so important in the US.
In Philadelphia, you can find out more about the events associated with National Immunization Awareness Month Philadelphia and surrounding communities by contacting your local health centers and seeing what programs they have put in place for this most important cause.
For more information on The Ultimate Guide Immunization Month For Pets (link for the CDC vaccines)