Broome County Health Department Celebrates National Infant Immunization Week
Reminds parents and providers of the importance of on time vaccination
(BROOME COUNTY, NY) – The Broome County Health Department is celebrating National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW) from April 20-27, 2026. NIIW is an annual observance to remind parents and providers of the importance of on time vaccination to protect children two years and younger from deadly diseases. Diseases like diphtheria and polio that were a common part of childhood 100 years ago are almost unheard of in the United States today because of vaccines. Immunizations are the most effective way of keeping our children and community safe from vaccine-preventable diseases.
Vaccines are one of the most effective and powerful tools we have to keep our children safe and healthy. The New York State Department of Health and Broome County Health Department endorse the science-based childhood vaccination schedule from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Beginning with the hepatitis B dose at birth, this vaccine schedule protects children from 16 different diseases by the time they are two years old, allowing them to grow, learn, and thrive. Delaying vaccine doses leaves kids vulnerable to disease and can cause problems when it comes time to enroll in daycare or school.
Immunization protects the whole community. When one person receives a vaccine, they reduce the chances of everyone around them getting that disease. This also means that small drops in vaccine coverage can lead to disease outbreaks like the United States has seen recently with measles. Between January 1 and April 9, 2026, there have been 1,714 confirmed measles cases in the United States. 92% of these individuals were not vaccinated. We do not want to see this situation replicated in Broome County.
The people of Broome County have been enthusiastic supporters of vaccination, even being among the first to support mass vaccination against polio in the 1950s. We are fortunate to have healthcare providers and community partners that advocate for our children. Despite this, only 68.8% of children are up to date on recommended vaccinations by the time they are 2 years old. Delays in vaccination leave our community vulnerable to outbreaks and our individual children vulnerable to disease. This National Infant Immunization Week, we encourage you to call your child’s healthcare provider and make sure your child is up to date on all recommended vaccines.
