Protecting infants from vaccine-preventable diseases is the focus of this week’s National Infant Immunization Week. It is the 25th anniversary of the observance. It started in 1994, when there was a serious measles outbreak in the U.S. Washington County Public Health Nurse Lynn Fisher thanks parents who protect their children by getting them vaccinated, “Many times parents are not thanked for what they do and so this is a chance for the Public Health Department to also thank parents for taking their children to do the hard thing and get the immunizations. It protects their child, obviously from diseases, and then the ripple effect out into the community: it protects their family, it protects communities. So, thank you, parents, for doing that difficult job.”

Immunizations begin at two months old, and having a family who is vaccinated helps protect those who are too young to get certain doses. The schedule of immunizations for infants helps protect them from 14 serious childhood diseases, like whooping cough and measles. Fisher adds that if there’s a child who has gotten off the schedule and needs to catch up, that they can help get back on track. Also, there is a vaccine for children program available to help with the cost of vaccines.