August is National Immunization Awareness Month

News You Can Use From the San Diego Immunization Coalition

We all need immunizations to help protect us from serious diseases. August is National Immunization Awareness Month, and the San Diego Immunization Coalition urges everyone to make sure they have the shots they need.

Shots can prevent serious diseases like measles, flu, and whooping cough. It’s important to know which shots you need and when to get them.

Babies need shots at 2, 4, 6, and 12-18 months to protect against diseases like measles and whooping cough. Older kids also need vaccine protection from diseases—especially before they start school. And some shots are required before school entry.

Adults aren’t automatically immune to diseases like meningococcal disease or pneumonia—they need shots, too. And everyone age 6 months and older needs a seasonal flu shot every year.

Find out which shots your younger children, teenagers and the adults in your family need here: www.sdiz.org

Talk to your doctor or nurse to make sure that everyone in the family gets the shots they need. For more information, visit www.sdiz.org and the other websites listed below:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Vaccines and Immunizations Page
www.cdc.gov/vaccines/

ShotByShot.org – Stories of vaccine-preventable diseases
http://shotbyshot.org

Vaccinate Your Baby
www.vaccinateyourbaby.org/

California Department of Public Health Immunization Branch Main Page
www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/immunize.asp

California Department of Public Health Shots for School Page
www.shotsforschool.org

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Vaccine Education Center
www.chop.edu/service/vaccine-education-center/home.html

The San Diego Immunization Coalition (SDIC) has been active since 1992, making it one of the oldest continuously operating immunization coalitions in the nation. To learn more about the Coalition, visit www.sdizcoalition.org/.