NJ Health Department Encourages Staying Up To Date on All Shots in Recognizing August as National Immunization Awareness Month

Health Department Announces New Jersey Hot Shots for Tots Immunization Campaign Awardees

TRENTON - With the fall season and return to school upcoming, the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) encourages all residents to stay up to date on their shots, including vaccinations for COVID-19 and for flu, and RSV shot if eligible, in recognition of August as National Immunization Awareness Month. NJDOH encourages all health care providers to review their patient's vaccination status and reach out to those behind schedule to ensure that all individuals are up to date, especially children before the start of the new school year.

Governor Murphy has also proclaimed August 2024 as Immunization Awareness Month, noting that "vaccination is proven to be one of the most successful public health interventions by preventing countless cases of disease and disability and saving millions of lives."

"National Immunization Awareness Month is an opportunity to highlight vaccine-preventable diseases and to encourage people to talk to a trusted health care provider about staying up to date on their vaccinations," said Health Commissioner Kaitlan Baston, M.D. "For children especially, vaccines can help keep them stay healthy at home and at school."

Vaccines for children and adolescents protect against 17 serious diseases, including influenza, COVID-19, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough (pertussis), polio, measles, mumps, rubella, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), hepatitis A and B, rotavirus, chickenpox (varicella), human papillomavirus (HPV), meningococcal disease, and pneumococcal disease. Staying up to date on shots also helps reduce the spread of disease to others in classrooms, childcare centers, and communities.

According to the most recent CDC National Immunization Survey, 73.9 percent of NJ children under age 36 months have received the combined seven vaccination series compared to 68.4 percent nationally. Vaccines in this series include at least four doses of DTaP, three doses of polio, one dose of MMR, three doses of hepatitis B, three doses of Hib, one dose of varicella, and four doses of pneumococcal vaccine.

Annual flu vaccines are recommended for everyone ages six months and older.

Adults also may need vaccines to protect against whooping cough, pneumonia, and shingles; other vaccines may be recommended based on age, health condition, job, or lifestyle. Vaccination is especially important for those with chronic health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and asthma.

Those planning to become pregnant should check with their health care provider to make sure that they have received all recommended vaccines. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that, during each pregnancy, all pregnant women receive the flu vaccine at any time during pregnancy and receive the whooping cough vaccine (Tdap) early in their third trimester. Vaccinating women against these diseases, including COVID-19, is a safe and effective way to help protect both mother and child.

All people aged six months and older are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine to help prevent serious illness and other severe outcomes. Flu and other vaccinations can be given at the same time as the COVID-19 vaccine. People aged 65 years and older and people with weakened immune systems can get a second dose of the current 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine. For more information and to find the nearest vaccination site, visit vaccines.gov.

The CDC also recommends an RSV vaccine for everyone aged 75 years and older and for adults aged 60 through 74 years who are at increased risk of severe RSV. To prevent severe RSV disease in infants, the CDC recommends either maternal RSV vaccination or infant immunization with RSV monoclonal antibodies.

Vaccines are available at a variety of locations including health care provider offices, pharmacies, community health clinics, and health departments.

Recommended immunizations are covered by most health insurance plans. Parents who need help paying for vaccines should ask their child's health care provider about the Vaccines for Children program, which provides no-cost or low-cost vaccines to children through age 18 who are Medicaid-eligible, uninsured, underinsured, or American Indian/Alaska Native. Adults who are uninsured or do not have insurance for certain vaccines should contact their local health department or a federally qualified health center to see if they qualify for no- or low-cost vaccines through the 317-funded program.

New Jersey Hot Shots for Tots

NJDOH also announced this year's awardees of the NewJersey Hot Shots for Tots Immunization Campaign, which is a voluntary, point-based incentive program for child care and preschool facilities.

Participating facilities conduct immunization-related activities to earn points toward typically reaching one of the three award levels: Gold, Silver, or Bronze. Each awardee receives a certificate from NJDOH to acknowledge their work on this important issue. Immunization-related activities can include providing information to parents about childhood immunizations and teaching children about proper hand washing and other disease prevention strategies. The 2023-24 Hot Shots for Tots Immunization Campaign awardees, are:

Gold:

• Bright Tomorrows Child Care Center, Flemington
• Cambridge Park Preschool, Aberdeen
• Early Childhood Learning Center, Freehold Township
• Mont-Vail Day Care Center, Irvington
• Hackensack Meridian Early Childhood Education Center at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune
• Holmdel Preschool, Holmdel
• Hopes Community Action Partnership, Inc., Somerset
• Ivy Hill Preschool, Rumson
• Keansburg Early Learning Center, Keansburg
• Lily Pond Country Day School, River Vale
• Memorial Day Nursery, Paterson
• Over the Rainbow Child Development Center, Bordentown
• Positive Place Preschool, Hawthorne
• Monmouth Day Care Center, Inc., Red Bank
• Red Bank Preschool at First Baptist Church
• Red Bank Preschool at United Methodist Church
• The King's Daughters Day School, Plainfield
• Ravine Drive Elementary and Preschool, Matawan

Silver:

• Strathmore Elementary and Preschool, Aberdeen
• Kidz Place Daycare & Preschool, Clifton

Bronze:

• Under the Sun Learning Center & Daycare, Stratford

Honorable Mention:

• Robert C. Wood Senior Early Childhood Center, Little Egg Harbor
• South Bergen Jointure Commission, Lodi

More information about vaccines and the recommended immunization schedules for all age groups can be found on the CDC website at cdc.gov/vaccines/index.html.