HOLLAND (WHTC-AM/FM) – On Monday, Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued a proclamation declaring August, 2019 as Immunization Awareness Month.
“As governor, keeping Michiganders healthy and safe is my number one priority,” said Gov. Whitmer. “Michigan is 29th in the nation for vaccine coverage, and I know we can do better. I encourage every Michigander to take this time to educate themselves on the importance of immunizations to protect our overall public health and keep our families safe.”
Vaccines have greatly reduced the prevalence of infectious diseases throughout the United States. Currently, the U.S. has the safest vaccine supply in history. However, vaccine-preventable diseases still circulate in Michigan, and as of 2017, only 69.9 percent of children aged 19-35 months were up to date on their recommended vaccines. Michigan also recently experienced its largest hepatitis A outbreak ever, and in 2018 had the highest number of confirmed measles cases in the state since 1994.
The goal of Immunization Awareness Month is to educate the public on the safety of vaccines and ensure Michiganders are up to date on their vaccinations in order to prevent the continued spread of contagious and preventable disease.
