World Immunization Week, April 20-27

Vaccines are among the most successful and cost-effective public health tools available for preventing disease and death. Not only do they protect vaccinated individuals, they also help protect entire communities by preventing and reducing the spread of infectious diseases.

    

Vaccine-preventable diseases still circulate in the U.S. and around the world, so continued vaccination is necessary to protect everyone from potential outbreaks. 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 is the increase in whooping cough (pertussis) outbreaks that have been reported in a majority of states in 2012.