Public health officials in Miami-Dade County have called on families and health care providers to work together to ensure infants are immunized against disease.
The theme was “Love them. Protect them. Immunize them.” The week provides a yearly reminder of the need to promote the benefits of immunizations and to highlight the importance of immunizing infants against vaccine-preventable diseases by age 2, the department said in a statement.
“Immunizations are one of the most important ways parents can protect their children against serious diseases,” Lillian Rivera, the department director, said in the statement. “They not only help protect vaccinated individuals but also help protect entire communities by preventing and reducing the spread of infectious diseases.”
According to the statement, immunization levels remain high nationwide and vaccine-preventable diseases are at an all-time low.
“Our nation's success in achieving high levels of infant immunization coverage is the result of the work that local health departments, immunization coalitions, individual health care professionals, parents and other partners do throughout the year,” the statement said.
In March, the Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Immunization completed an annual immunization assessment for all 1- and 2-year-old children receiving immunization services in the state’s county health departments. Miami-Dade County scored 92 percent, the statement said.
For more information, call the Miami-Dade County Health Department’s Special Immunizations Program at 305-470-5660.
No Comment