The N.C. Immunization Branch promotes public health through the identification and elimination of vaccine-preventable diseases like polio, hepatitis B, measles, chickenpox, whooping cough, rubella (German measles), and mumps. In 2001, the Branch incorporated an adult education component into the program to raise awareness of the agelessness of immunizations.
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August is National Immunization Awareness Month Babies and young children Vaccines give parents the power to protect their children from serious diseases. One of the most important things a parent can do to protect their child’s health is getting their child vaccinated according to the recommended immunization schedule.
Vaccines protect babies from 14 diseases by the time they reach 2 years of age. It is very important that babies receive all doses of each vaccine and receive each vaccination on time. After 6 months of age, CDC recommends children receive a yearly flu vaccine. Children 6 months through 8 years of age who are getting the flu vaccine for the first time should get two doses of flu vaccine, spaced at least 28 days apart. Children are also due for additional doses of vaccines between 4 and 6 years of age. If a child falls behind the recommended immunization schedule, the child’s doctor can still give vaccines to “catch up” the child before adolescence.
Get off to a healthy start by making sure your immunizations are up to date before becoming pregnant.
Pregnant women should get the pertussis, commonly called whooping cough, vaccine during pregnancy. They should also get the flu vaccine during pregnancy if they have not already received the flu vaccine for the current influenza season prior to pregnancy. It is very important that you are up to date on your measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine before becoming pregnant. Rubella infection during pregnancy can cause miscarriage, stillbirth or birth defects in the developing baby. Vaccinating according to the recommended immunization schedule provides your child with safe and effective protection against preventable diseases.
Between the time your child is born and when they go off to college, they’ll get vaccines to protect against a number of serious diseases.
Some children at your child care center may be too young to get certain vaccines and are therefore vulnerable to diseases.
By vaccinating your child according to the recommended schedule, you’ll be protecting their classmates as well.
You will also be helping to protect people in your community who cannot receive vaccines for medical reasons (e.g., people with weakened immune systems, such as some people with cancer, and people who have received organ transplants).
July is National Adolescent Immunization Awareness Month for North Carolina. Governor Roy Cooper has given us a proclaimation, which can be read if you click here. Both boys and girls of ages 11 or 12 need two doses of the HPV vaccine protect them against HPV related cancers in the future. Talk to your healthcare provider to make sure your children are protected. HPV vaccine is cancer prevention!
Please go to our Adolescent Awareness Campaign page for more resources and information.
New Free Continuing Edcation from MMWR and MedscapeFree Continuing Medical Education CDC's MMWR and Medscape are proud to introduce a new Free Continuing education (CD) activity that describes the recommended immunization schedule for adults aged 19 years or older in the United States, based on updated guidance from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
Announcing North Carolina’s CDC Childhood Immunization Champion Award Winner. The North Carolina Immunization Branch is proud to announce that Gerri Mattson, MD, MSPH, FAAP, Public Health Pediatrician, has been selected as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Childhood Immunization Champion for North Carolina CDC and the CDC Foundation hold this annual awards program to honor immunization champions across the 50 U.S. states, 8 U.S. Territories and Freely Associated States, and the District of Columbia during National Infant Immunization Week (April 21-28, 2018).
