FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 17, 2009
DHEC’s Region 8 Public Health Services recognizes National Infant Immunization Week
PORT ROYAL - The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control’s Region 8 Public Health Services is urging Lowcountry residents to protect their children by ensuring they get properly immunized during National Infant Immunization Week, April 25 through May 2, the agency announced today.
"Children in this country continue to fall ill, and some even die, from vaccine-preventable diseases," said Matt Petrofes, public health director for DHEC’s Region 8, which serves Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper counties. "Vaccines are one of history’s most successful and cost-effective public health tools for preventing serious disease and death."
Petrofes said vaccines are safe, effective and thoroughly tested before being approved for public use. The most common side effects of immunization are soreness or redness at the site of injection, and a mild fever.
"Approximately one million children in the U.S. are not fully immunized by the time they are 2 years old," Petrofes said. "Unvaccinated children are a risk to other infants whose immune systems haven’t matured yet, and to adults who may have weakened immune systems."
According to Petrofes, the goal of National Infant Immunization Week is that every child will be immunized "on time, every time" by the age of 2. Parents can help in this effort by adhering to the following recommendations:
- Make sure your child is up to date on immunizations; contact your child’s healthcare provider or your local public health department to find out what immunizations your child needs
- Get an immunization card or record; bring it to each of your child’s checkups
- Ask at every healthcare visit if your child needs an immunization
- Ask your child’s healthcare provider if your child is eligible for free vaccines through the Vaccines for Children program
For more information on childhood immunizations, see DHEC’s Web site at: http://www.scdhec.gov/health/disease/immunization/. The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Web page about National Infant Immunization Week can be found at: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/events/niiw/default.htm.
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For more information:
Nick Davidson - (843) 525-4028
E-mail - davidsne@dhec.sc.gov
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