National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW) is an annual recognition of the importance of protecting infants and young children from vaccine-preventable diseases. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted a lot of families’ routine doctor visits, so this year, the CDC is placing a special focus on ensuring that families stay on track for their infants’ well-child visits and routinely recommended vaccinations.
Vaccines are a safe and effective way of protecting individual children and their communities by preventing and reducing the spread of infectious – and sometimes deadly – diseases. Of particular concern is the number of recent measles outbreaks in the U.S., which have primarily affected children over the age of 12 months who have not received a measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine.
According to the CDC, “Measles is almost entirely preventable through vaccination. MMR vaccines are safe and highly effective, with two doses being 97% effective against measles (one dose is 93% effective). When more than 95% of people in a community are vaccinated, most people are protected through community [or herd] immunity.” However, vaccination coverage among U.S. kindergartners has dipped to “93.1% in the 2022–2023 school year, leaving approximately 250,000 kindergartners susceptible to measles each year over the last three years.”
Additionally, while most families have returned to pre-pandemic activities, babies and young children are still susceptible to severe disease caused by COVID-19. The updated COVID-19 vaccine is recommended for all children ages six months and older and is the best way to protect your child from health complications caused by COVID-19.
At Generate Health, we’re working towards a future where all Black babies celebrate their first birthday – and infant vaccinations are one piece of that puzzle. This National Infant Immunization Week, we encourage you to make sure your child is up to date on their routine vaccinations. If you have questions or concerns about your child’s vaccine schedule, please speak with their care provider. The CDC also has helpful, easy-to-follow resources for parents and caregivers to track their children’s vaccines from birth to age 18.
