National Infant Immunization Week -- April 16-22, 2000
National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW) is April 16-22, 2000; this year's
theme is "You Gave Them Life...Protect It." This week emphasizes the importance of
timely infant and childhood vaccination. Vaccination is one of the most effective ways
to protect children, especially infants and young children, from potentially serious
diseases. Because of increased vaccination efforts in the United States, eight
vaccine-preventable diseases are at or near record low levels. In 1999, 86
measles cases, eight congenital rubella cases, one diphtheria case, and no wild
poliovirus cases were reported (1,2).
Approximately 11,000 babies are born each day in the United States; they need
16-20 doses of vaccine before age 2 years. Although vaccination coverage levels
are high for preschool-aged children, approximately 1 million 2-year-old children
are missing one or more of the recommended vaccine doses
(3).
During NIIW, states and communities will sponsor activities designed to
highlight the need to achieve and maintain high childhood vaccination coverage rates.
In addition, CDC will launch a new television public service announcement (PSA)
and two radio PSAs in Spanish. Additional information about NIIW and childhood
vaccinations is available from CDC's National Immunization Program World-Wide
Web site, http://www.cdc.gov/nip or the National Immunization Information Hotline,
telephone (800) 232-2522 (English) or (800) 232-0233 (Spanish).
References
CDC. Summary -- provisional cases of selected notifiable diseases, United States,
cumulative, week ending January 1, 2000 (52nd week). MMWR 2000;48:1183.
Table III. Provisional cases of selected notifiable disease preventable by vaccination,
United States, weeks ending January 1, 2000, and January 2, 1999 (52nd week). MMWR 2000;48:1188.
CDC. National vaccination coverage levels among children aged 19-35
months -- United States, 1998. MMWR 1999;48:829-30.
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