PO Box 360
Trenton, NJ 08625-0360

For Release:
April 24, 2012

Mary E. O'Dowd, M.P.H.
Commissioner

For Further Information Contact:
Office of Communications
(609) 984-7160

New Jersey Marks National Infant Immunization Week Immunization. Power to Protect.

During the week of April 21-28, 2012, the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) will observe National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW), a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) initiative designed to raise awareness about the importance of childhood immunizations.  Each year during NIIW, DHSS supports public health agencies and healthcare providers across New Jersey as they hold special events to promote the critical importance of vaccinating infants and to improve the health of children.  Through immunization, we can now protect infants and children from 14 vaccine-preventable diseases before age two.

"Vaccine Preventable Diseases can be especially serious for infants and young children. That is why it is important to follow the CDC recommended immunization schedule to protect infants and children by providing immunity early in life, before they are exposed to potentially life-threatening diseases," said Commissioner

Mary E. O'Dowd.   "This week serves as an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of immunization programs and to raise awareness of age-appropriate immunizations." 

According to the 2010 National Immunization Survey, 66.4 percent of New Jersey children ages 19 - 35 months received the recommended vaccine doses compared to the national average of 74.9 percent.  These vaccines provide protection against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, polio, measles, mumps and rubella, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), hepatitis B and chickenpox.

Due to the success of vaccines in preventing disease, parents often are unaware that children are at risk for so many serious and life-threatening diseases.  Even when diseases are rare in the U.S., they can be brought into the country, putting unvaccinated children at risk.  One example of the seriousness of vaccine-preventable diseases was the California whooping cough epidemic of 2010, which resulted in the death of 10 infants. Nationally, more than 21,000 cases of the whooping cough were reported in 2010. Additionally, the CDC reported last week that 2011 was the worst year for measles in the U.S. in the last 15 years with 222 cases reported.  On average the U.S. experiences 60 cases of measles each year.  90 percent of the cases were traced to other countries with lower immunization rates.

"Vaccines are among the most successful public health tools available for preventing disease and death," said Dr. Arturo Brito, Deputy Commissioner for Public Health Services. "For example, parents in the United States no longer have to worry about their children getting smallpox because of tremendous worldwide vaccination efforts.  Hopefully in the future, parents may be able to trust that other vaccine-preventable diseases of today will no longer be around to harm their children."

This year's NIIW will be celebrated as part of the first World Immunization Week (WIW), an initiative of the World Health Organization (WHO).  During WIW, all six WHO regions, including more than 180 Member States, territories, and areas, will simultaneously promote immunization, advance equity in the use of vaccines and universal access to vaccination services, and enable cooperation on cross-border immunization activities in April 2012.

Listed below are some NJ events being held in honor of NIIW. For more information about NIIW, please visit:  http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/events/niiw/index.html

For more information about the NJ Vaccine Preventable Disease Program, visit:  http://www.nj.gov/health/cd/vpdp/

 

                                                        New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services

Vaccine Preventable Disease Program

 

National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW)

NIIW April 21-28, 2012

List of Events

 Immunization Awareness Walks

 

Organization Name:  Newark Department of Child and Family Well-Being

                                   Project Vaccinate

 

Event or Activity:

 

Immunization awareness walk with local community partners.  The walk will begin at Newark City Hall (920 Broad Street). 

Date:  Monday, April 23

Time:  10:00 am

Contact Person:  Dorothy A. McCall, Manager of Children Health Services

Phone:  973-733-7580

Email:  mccalld@ci.newark.nj.us

 

 

Organization Name:  Irvington Health Department

Event or Activity:

Immunization awareness walk at Irvington Park.  The walk has been organized by the local health department, local schools, and day care centers.  Mayor Wayne Smith and other public officials will be participating!

Date:  Wednesday, April 25

Time:  9:30-11:30 am

Contact Person:  Dr. Atif Nazir, Health Officer

Phone:  973-399-6647

Email:   ATIFHD@gmail.com

Organization Name:  CAMcare Health Corporation
Organization Address. 817 Federal Street Camden, NJ 08103

 

Event or Activity:

Immunization awareness walk with participating area day care centers.

Date:  Friday, April 27

Time:  10:00 am

Contact Person:  Cynthia Primas-Taylor, Director of Clinical and Support Services

Phone: 856-687-2210

Email:  Cynthia@camcare.net

Organization Name:  East Orange General Hospital, City of Orange, City of East Orange

 

Event or Activity:

Immunization awareness walk beginning at Orange Park located on Central and Oakwood Avenue.

Date:  Saturday, April 28

Time:  10:00 am

Contact Person:  Theresa A. Combs

Phone: 973-266-4454

Email:  CombsT@evh.org

Listing of NIIW awareness events---listed alphabetically by county

Bergen County

Organization Name:  Paramus Board of Health
Organization Address. Borough Hall 1 Jockish Square Paramus, NJ 07652

 

Event or Activity:

Immunization clinic for infants and children on April 24.

Mayoral Proclamation for NIIW

Bulletin Board display for NIIW in Borough Hall.

Sending press releases to various newspapers, organizations, and public officials.

 

Date:  Tuesday, April 24

Time:  1:00-3:00 pm

Contact Person:  Paula Opitz, RN, MS

Phone:  Must register by calling 201-265-2100, x 615 or 618

Email:  popitz@paramusborough.org

Organization Name:  City of Hackensack-Department of Health

Organization Address: 215 State Street Hackensack, NJ 07601

Event or Activity:

 

Child Health Conferences (CHCs):

Every 1st and 3rd Friday of each month

2nd and 4th Wednesday of each Month. 

 School Age Immunization

Every 3rd Wednesday of each month---free immunizations for school-age children.

Promoting NIIW by playing immunization health promotional DVDs on the monitor in the health department lobby.

 

CHC:

Date:  Wednesday, April 25

Time:  8:30 am -12:00 pm

Contact Person: Michelle Ryan

Phone: 201-646-3963

Emailmryan@hackensack.org

 

Essex County

 

Organization Name:  Newark Department of Child and Family Well-Being
Organization Address. 110 William Street Newark, NJ 07102

 

Immunization Clinic (infant-18 years)

Date:  Monday-Friday

Time:  8:30am-4:30 pm

Contact Person:  Dorothy A. McCall, Manager of Children Health Services

Phone:  973-733-7580

Email:  mccalld@ci.newark.nj.us

Gloucester County

Organization Name:  Gloucester County Department of Health and Senior Services
Organization Address. 204 East Holly Avenue Sewell, NJ 08080

 

Event or Activity:

Show "Vaccines and Your Baby" and videos about pertussis.

Handouts including "Immunize Your Child" and coloring/sticker books for children.

Immunization clinic (infant-18 years)

Date:  Tuesday, April 24

Time:  8:30-11:00 am

            1:00-2:30 pm

Immunization clinic (infant-18 years)

Date:  Thursday, April 26

Time:  8:30-11:00 am

Contact Person:  Ruth w. Skay, APN

Phone:  856-218-4150

Email:  rskay@co.gloucester.nj.us

Mercer County

Organization Name:  New Jersey Immunization Network (NJIN)
Organization Address. 3836 Quakerbridge Road Hamilton, NJ 08619

 

Event or Activity:

Outreach/mailing to NJ Senate and Assembly legislators regarding Hepatitis B proposed legislation.  The outreach will include a video and a flyer about hepatitis B.

Various immunization resources will be sent to over 1,000 statewide contacts.  Resources will include information about NIIW, NJ's school immunization requirements, and brief videos about vaccine-preventable diseases.  These resources will be sent weekly beginning NIIW through Father's Day.

 

Contact Person:  Patricia Van Abs

Phone:  609-588-9988

Email:  pvanabs@aapnj.org

 

For more information contact:

 NJDHSS Vaccine Preventable Disease Program,

Jennifer Smith, Health Educator at 609-826-4860

 CDC National Infant Immunization Week

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/events/niiw/index.html

Last Reviewed: 7/17/2012