This article was posted on Upper Michigan Source. Read more here.
During National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW) April 22-29, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) urges Michigan parents to ensure their children are fully vaccinated on time for the best possible protection from diseases.
According to a press release from MDHHS, data from the Michigan Care Improvement Registry (MCIR) as of Dec. 2023 says only 66.4% of Michigan children 19 through 35 months of age were up to date on recommended vaccines.
“Now more than ever, it is important to make sure Michiganders, especially children, are up to date on all recommended immunizations,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive. “Vaccine preventable diseases still exist, and they’re here in Michigan. Now is the time to get our little Michiganders caught up on vaccines and protect them from all preventable diseases.”
Vaccinating children on time according to the recommended childhood immunization schedule is the best protection against diseases like measles, hepatitis A, pertussis (whooping cough) and influenza.
NIIW highlights the importance of protecting children two years and younger from vaccine-preventable diseases as part of World Immunization Week (WIW), a World Health Organization (WHO) initiative.
This week serves as a reminder about the importance of staying on track and ensuring infants are up to date on all recommended vaccines. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that children stay on track with their well-child appointments and routine vaccinations.