CONTACT: Mary Skau
(775) 624-7116 | Mary@immunizenevada.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

National Infant Immunization Week – April 22-29

(April 13, 2017)- Nevadans will be joining with the rest of the country to recognize National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW), April 22-29. The state and national observance of NIIW brings together hundreds of communities across the United States and countries around the world to celebrate the critical role vaccination plays in protecting the health of our children, families, and communities.

The statewide celebration will include:

• April 20th: 19th Annual Silver Syringe Awards, Reno - a night to showcase the outstanding work of immunization champions throughout northern Nevada. The event will be held at the Renaissance Reno Downtown Hotel at 6 pm.
• Friday, April 21st: Splish. Splash! It’s a Baby Bash - a community baby shower offering low cost immunizations as well as additional community resources. The event will be held at Northern Nevada HOPES clinic from 10-2pm.
• Saturday, April 22nd: Lied Pediatric Center NIIW Clinic hosted by the Lied Pediatric Center, Southern Nevada’s largest multi-specialty center. The Lied Pediatric Center and Immunize Nevada will be providing low-cost vaccinations for children 0-5 years of age. The clinic will be located at 1524 Pinto Lane, Las Vegas, NV, 89106.
• Saturday, April 22nd: 8th Annual Polio Purple Pinkie Trail Run hosted by the Rotary Club of Reno Centennial Sunset and Immunize Nevada. The run will be a 5K & 10K race, beginning at 10am at Rancho San Rafael Park-runners and walkers are all invited.
• April 26th: Legislative Day: A celebration of NIIW and Nevada’s success. This drop-in event will highlight Nevada’s Immunization Report Card, and our continued immunization successes for children, teens, and adults. Legislators, staff members, advocates, public health partners, and more are welcome to attend. Lunch is provided and is free and open to the public. The lunch will be at the Nevada Legislature, 401 S Carson Street, Carson City, NV, in Room 3100.
• Thursday, April 27th: 19th Annual Silver Syringe Awards, Las Vegas - a night to showcase the outstanding work of immunization champions throughout southern Nevada. The event will be held at the Las Vegas Country Club at 6 pm.
• Friday, April 28th: Splish. Splash! It’s a Baby Bash - a community baby shower offering low cost immunizations as well as additional community resources. The event will be held at Southern Nevada Health District on 280 S. Decatur Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89107, from 12-4:30 pm.

Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval has proclaimed April 22 – 29 Nevada Infant Immunization Week, to coincide with the annual national observance of National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW) and recognize our state’s immunization and public health successes. 

“Our state has improved our infant immunization rates, increasing 5.5 percent - the most significant increase in Nevada history,” said Immunize Nevada Executive Director Heidi Parker. “Immunizations prevent disease, increase our ability to live healthy lives, and save millions of dollars in healthcare costs.”

The CDC says that vaccines not only help protect vaccinated individuals, but they also help protect entire communities by preventing and reducing the spread of infectious diseases. Among children born between 1994-2013, vaccination will prevent an estimated 322 million illnesses, 21 million hospitalizations and 732,000 deaths over the course of their lifetimes.

Recent pertussis (whooping cough) outbreak

A local example of the seriousness of vaccine-preventable disease is the recent outbreak of pertussis (whooping cough) in Carson and Douglas counties. In order to prevent such outbreaks, the CDC recommends giving babies immunizations by age 2 and suggests it’s the best way to protect them from 14 serious childhood diseases, including whooping cough and measles — among others. Parents are encouraged to talk to their child’s healthcare provider to ensure that their baby is up to date on immunizations. A complete vaccination schedule can be accessed at immunizenevada.org/kids.

The Vaccines for Children (VFC) program provides vaccines to children who are underinsured or whose parents or guardians may not be able to afford them.  The VFC program helps children get their vaccines according to the recommended immunization schedule and has contributed directly to a substantial increase in childhood immunization coverage levels, making a significant contribution to the elimination of disparities in vaccination coverage among young children.

Parents can check and print their child’s immunization records at izrecord.nv.gov. First-time users may need to contact the Nevada WebIZ help desk at 1-877-NV-WebIZ (877-689-3249) or email izit@health.nv.gov.

For details about vaccines, statistics, logic, prevention strategies and vaccination clinics, follow Immunize Nevada on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Pinterest. Or visit www.immunizenevada.org for more information.

Immunize Nevada is widely recognized as Nevada’s trusted resource for immunizations and community health for all ages by fostering education and statewide collaboration. Immunize Nevada’s vision is healthy communities across Nevada protected from vaccine-preventable disease. For more information, visit ImmunizeNevada.org.

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