Each year in August, National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) provides an opportunity to highlight the need for improving national immunization coverage levels. Activities focus on encouraging all people to protect their health by being immunized against infectious diseases.

In 2013, the National Public Health Information Coalition is coordinating NIAM activities.

Get Toolkits to Help You Raise Awareness About Immunization

The National Immunization Awareness Month Communication Toolkit, developed by NPHIC in collaboration with CDC, focuses on four weekly themes:

• Babies and pregnant women
• Children, preteens, and teens
• Young adults
• Adults

The toolkit includes key messages, sample media materials, social media content, and event ideas. You can also get eye-catching NIAM logos and banners for each weekly theme. These branding elements highlight your participation in NIAM.

The National Health Information Center offers a toolkit with NIAM resources through Healthfinder.gov:

August National Health Observances (2013) 

Find CDC Resources for National Immunization Awareness Month

CDC develops immunization materials our partners can use in local outreach and education efforts during NIAM and year-round. Below are links to materials you can use during NIAM to

• Encourage parents of young children to get recommended immunizations by age two; reach out with posters, video PSAs, tweets  [2 pages], Facebook posts  [3 pages], and more
• Help parents make sure older children, preteens, and teens have received all recommended vaccines by the time they go back to school
• Remind college students to catch up on immunizations before they move into dormitories
• Educate adults, including healthcare workers, about vaccines and boosters they may need
• Educate pregnant women about getting vaccinated to protect newborns from diseases like whooping cough (pertussis)
• Remind everyone that the next flu season is only a few months away

Check with your state or local health department to see if they have additional immunization resources you can use during NIAM, or plans to celebrate the month.

Source: CDC http://www.cdc.gov “Recognizing National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM)” http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/events/niam.html Accessed December 2, 2015.

© Copyright 2016. All rights reserved. This content is strictly for informational purposes and although experts have prepared it, the reader should not substitute this information for professional insurance advice. If you have any questions, please consult your insurance professional before acting on any information presented. Read more.

August is National Immunization Awareness Month! Getting vaccinated is an easy way to stay healthy all year round. During the month of August, take the time to make sure that you and your loved ones have received all of the vaccinations you need. By making sure your vaccinations are up to date, you can help prevent harmful diseases from affecting you and your family.

People of all ages need vaccines

Getting vaccinated is important for people of all ages. Here’s some information about vaccines that people need throughout their lives:

• Parents can protect infants and children from 14 serious childhood diseases by age 2. Learn more about immunizations for infants and children.
• Preteens and teens need vaccines too! Getting adolescents vaccinated will also protect their friends and their family members. Find out about the vaccines preteens and teens need.
• Adults: not sure if your immunization schedule is up-to date? Take this online quiz to see which vaccines you need, and use the Vaccine Finder tool below to find a location near you where you can access vaccines.
• Seniors may need one or more vaccines, even if they received vaccines as a child or as a younger adult. Find more information about vaccines for seniors here.

August: A great time to get vaccinated

Vaccines protect you all year round, but August is a great time to get vaccinated.

In August, as summer winds down, it’s a good time for you and your family to make plans to get the flu vaccine. The vaccine usually becomes available in mid- to late-August. Getting the vaccine early can help prevent you and your family members from getting the flu throughout all of flu season. You can learn more about the flu and flu vaccine at Flu.gov.

When taking yourself and your family for your flu shots, you can also ask your health care provider about other routinely recommended vaccines you might need. For example, you should make sure that the whole family is up-to-date on their DTap/Tdap and MMRV boosters, each of which protects against several serious diseases:

• DTap or Tdap: tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough)
• MMR or MMRV: measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (chickenpox)

Finally, HPV vaccines help prevent girls and boys from getting cancers later in life that are caused by HPV. If you have questions about the HPV vaccine, read our FAQ, and ask your healthcare provider for more information.

There are many routinely recommended vaccines for people of all ages. These are some examples of vaccines you can discuss with your healthcare provider. Make sure that you and your family are up-to-date on all recommended vaccines.

Vaccines: Our best defense

Vaccines are the best defense we have against these and other serious diseases, and it’s important to make sure that you’re up to date on all recommended vaccines. Use National Immunization Awareness Month as your chance to make sure that all your vaccinations are current. Talk with your healthcare provider about what vaccines you and your family need, and keep putting your healthiest foot forward!

Source: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services http://www.vaccines.gov “People of all ages need vaccines” http://www.vaccines.gov/more_info/features/national_immunization_awareness_month_2013.html Accessed December 2, 2015.

© Copyright 2016. All rights reserved. This content is strictly for informational purposes and although experts have prepared it, the reader should not substitute this information for professional insurance advice. If you have any questions, please consult your insurance professional before acting on any information presented. Read more.

Dear Valued Customer,

August is recognized as National Immunization Awareness Month, (NIAM). While vaccines have eradicated smallpox, eliminated wild poliovirus in the U.S. and significantly reduced the number of cases of measles, diphtheria, rubella, pertussis and other diseases, tens of thousands of people in the U.S. still die from these and other vaccine-preventable diseases.

Read this issue of “———–” to find out more about NIAM, why immunization is so important, the ten things you need to know about immunizations, and more.

We appreciate your continued business and look forward to serving you.

Kind regards,

Immunization helps prevent dangerous and sometimes deadly diseases. To stay protected against serious illnesses like the flu, measles, and tuberculosis, adults need to get their shots – just like kids do.

National Immunization Awareness Month is a great time to promote vaccines and remind family, friends, and coworkers to stay up to date on their shots.

How can National Immunization Awareness Month make a difference?

We can all use this month to raise awareness about vaccines and share strategies to increase immunization rates with our community.

Here are just a few ideas:

• Talk to friends and family members about how vaccines aren’t just for kids. People of all ages can get shots to protect them from serious diseases.
• Encourage people in your community to get the flu shot every year.
• Invite a doctor or nurse to speak to parents about why it’s important for all kids to get vaccinated.

How can I help spread the word?

We’ve made it easier for you to make a difference! This toolkit is full of ideas to help you take action today. For example:

• Add information about immunizations to your newsletter.
• Tweet about National Immunization Awareness Month.
• Host a community event where families can get together and learn about immunizations.
• Add this Web badge to your Web site, blog, or social networking profile.

Source: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services http://www.healthfinder.gov “National Immunization Awareness Month” http://healthfinder.gov/nho/AugustToolkit.aspx Accessed December 2, 2015.

© Copyright 2016. All rights reserved. This content is strictly for informational purposes and although experts have prepared it, the reader should not substitute this information for professional insurance advice. If you have any questions, please consult your insurance professional before acting on any information presented. Read more.