If you could prevent a disaster from affecting your family, would you?
No, you can’t strip the winds from a tornado or dry out a typhoon, but you can protect your children from certain preventable diseases by keeping their recommended vaccinations up to date.
This month is National Immunization Awareness Month. According to the National Public Health Information Coalition, many vaccine-preventable diseases are still common in many parts of the world, with international travelers carrying the infectious diseases from outbreak areas abroad to unvaccinated communities in the U.S. Just last year, Minnesota experienced a measles outbreak, with 65 confirmed cases in less than two months. A CDC report cites low measles-mumps-rubella vaccination coverage as the leading vulnerability behind this outbreak.
In addition to protecting your own children, vaccinations can help keep vulnerable members of your community safe as well. While nearly all children can safely receive vaccines, some may be too young to receive certain vaccines or have compromised immune systems from genetic or other underlying health conditions. These children rely on “herd immunity,” sheltering from disease by belonging to groups that have high numbers of immunized people. By vaccinating your children, you are performing an incredibly important role in community preparedness.
As you prepare to send your kids back to school in the next few weeks, check in with your primary care provider or pediatrician to make sure your child’s immune system is prepared. For common illnesses, such as the flu, local clinics, community organizations, and on-base programs often offer free or low-cost vaccines. As a parent, you make sure your kids have all the notebooks, pencils, and crayons they need to succeed at school; check with your doctor to make sure their immune system has all it needs to succeed as well.