You have the power to protect yourself and your family against serious diseases.
Vaccines help protect against diseases like measles, whooping cough, cancers caused by HPV, and pneumonia. To help keep our community safe, The Barry Eaton District Health Department is proudly participating in National Immunization Awareness Month.
Talk to your doctor, nurse, or other healthcare professional to ensure your family is up-to-date on recommended vaccines. Keeping children and adults up-to-date on their vaccines is important for their protection.
Before children reach two years old, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends vaccines to prevent 14 infectious diseases. Each recommended vaccine dose is scheduled based on the age the body’s immune system will respond the best and the need to protect infants and children at the earliest age possible.
On time vaccination throughout childhood is essential because it helps provide immunity before children are exposed to potentially life threatening diseases. The vaccines are tested to be sure they are safe and effective for children to receive at the recommended ages.
The Barry-Eaton District Health Department offers weekly vaccination clinics for residents. Clinics are held Tuesdays in Barry County and Wednesdays in Eaton County. All recommended child and adult vaccines are available at the health department. To make an appointment for you or your child to be vaccinated, call (269) 798-9516 in Barry County or (517) 543-2630 in Eaton
According to March 2019 data from the Michigan Care Improvement Registry, only 59 percent of Michigan children 19 through 35 months of age were up to date with the recommended vaccines.
In Eaton County, 76 percent of children aged three months old were up to date on vaccines. At seven months the number dropped to 61 percent and at 24 months only 49 percent were up to date.
In Barry County, 85 percent of children aged three months old were up to date on vaccines. At seven months 56 percent were up to date, and at 24 months the number dropped to 49 percent.
For more information about when your child needs to be vaccinated, talk to your healthcare provider, contact the health department, or visit https://bit.ly/2O2SHtG.
Immunizations are also important to the health of adults, especially pregnant women and older adults.
The vaccines you need as an adult are determined by many factors including your age, lifestyle, health condition, and which vaccines you’ve received during your life. Use the Adult Vaccine Assessment Tool, located at https://bit.ly/2jZznhv , to determine what vaccines are recommended for you.
