National Infant Immunization Week

For the past 20 years, the last week of April has been dedicated as National Infant Immunization Week.

During the week, the Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department stresses the importance of getting infants their immunization shots. According to the Centers for Disease Control, immunization is a shared responsibility. Immunization Coordinator at ZMCHD, Jamie Heinzman, explains.

“That’s when we’re referencing herd immunizing,” she said. “So you getting immunized, yes that protects you but that also, you’re providing protection for everybody in your community because the more people that are immunized in your community, the less chances there are for disease to come into the community, there’s less opportunity for that disease to enter the community because there’s more protection for it.”

Heinzman said infant immunization shots should be completed by the time a child is two years old. It’s a goal of many organizations around the world.

“Immunize by two is a huge goal and target,” Heinzman said. “That’s a healthy people 20/20 goal is to have all children by 24 months immunized to 90 percent with all the individual immunizations.”

By vaccinating the youngest generation, Heinzman said many diseases have been completely eradicated worldwide.