August is National Immunization Awareness Month
The annual observance of Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) highlights the efforts of healthcare professionals to protect patients of all ages against vaccine-preventable diseases through on-time vaccination. This year, NIAM serves as an important reminder to catch up patients on routine visits and vaccinations that may have been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Advocates and providers can use NIAM as an opportunity to access CDC educational resources like the #HowIRecommend Video Series, which offers simple and practical guidance for having successful vaccine conversations with parents and patients.
For information on how to talk to parents about COVID-19 vaccination for children, reference the Pediatric Healthcare Professionals COVID-19 Vaccination Toolkit. Even if you are not administering COVID-19 vaccines as a provider, you can help parents and guardians feel confident in choosing to get their children vaccinated against COVID-19 by addressing their questions and assuring them of the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines.
For more information on COVID-19 vaccines and to access Michigan’s vaccination data, visit Michigan.gov/COVIDvaccine.
The Public Health Foundation and CDC have developed a digital communication toolkit with messages and graphics tailored to healthcare providers emphasizing the importance of vaccination for patients. During NIAM, you can engage with CDC and other healthcare professionals on social media by using #ivax2protect in your posts.