August is National Immunization Awareness Month.

August is National Immunization Awareness Month.

August 12, 2014

Health Literacy Begins @ the Library

As we approach the start of a new school year, it’s time to remind ourselves that immunization is important. Why? It helps protect us from serious diseases like measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B, polio, diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (whooping cough).

Vaccination is one of the greatest public health achievements of the 20th century. Diseases that used to kill thousands of people a year – especially children – are largely things of the past in America and all because of immunization.

In addition to protecting individuals from diseases, immunizing an individual helps to protect the health of our community, too. Some people can’t be immunized including children who are too young to be vaccinated, or those who can’t receive certain vaccines for medical reasons. A small proportion of people don’t respond to a particular vaccine. Because so many people do get vaccinated, those who are most vulnerable have nothing to fear from disease carriers.

To help keep our community safe, the Lackawanna County Library System is proudly participating in National Immunization Awareness Month. It’s part of our commitment to promoting health literacy, a PA Forward initiative.