News & Media
National Infant Immunization Week: Let’s Get Kids Vaccinated
National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW) is an annual observance highlighting the importance of protecting infants from vaccine-preventable diseases. This year marks the 25th anniversary of NIIW, which will be April 27 – May 4.
Following Michigan’s large hepatitis A outbreak and now, during Michigan’s largest measles outbreak since 1991, let’s take stock of how well we protect children from highly contagious diseases. According to the Michigan Care Improvement Registry, as of January 2019 about half of Michigan two-year-olds were completely immunized with the full recommended pediatric vaccines series. This means half of Michigan toddlers are not fully protected against at least one potentially harmful disease.
A physician's strong recommendation is the number one predictor in whether a parent accepts vaccines for their child. Please ensure children are vaccinated according to the routine recommended schedule to provide the best possible protection. Vaccinations should start within the first day of life with the birth dose of hepatitis B.
Visit CDC’s NIIW website at www.cdc.gov/vaccines/events/niiw/ for promotional materials including a digital media toolkit with messages you can share and adapt to promote childhood immunizations.
By Stefanie Cole, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Division of Immunization