Why Immunize?

Immunizations can save lives and stop the spread of diseases. Babies and toddlers that are given immunizations on time can be protected from many dangerous diseases:

Select a disease to view a brief description. Use your mouse to close screen (X).

Babies and toddlers who do not get their shots on time can be infected by one of these ten diseases and become very sick. The measles epidemic of 1989-1991 made more than 55,000 people ill - 11,000 had to be hospitalized and 120 died. Most of the infants and toddlers who got sick did not have their measles shot on time.

Children need to have all of their immunizations by age 2 to be fully protected against vaccine-preventable diseases.

Besides saving children from dangerous diseases, immunizations save money. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for every $1 spent on diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis programs, $29 is saved in direct and indirect costs.

Why Aren't Children Fully Immunized?

Many parents and doctors believe that their children are fully immunized by age 2 when, in fact, some are not. In Ohio, nearly one-fourth of the children under age 2 are not fully protected.

Surveys conducted by the Ohio Department of Health show that the children in Ohio's eight major cities and rural areas are less likely to be fully immunized on time. Why? Because there can be barriers that make it hard to get shots for young children. Parents may not know that vaccines are available for free or low cost. Parents may get discouraged and believe that baby shots are not that important.

Vaccine costs have risen dramatically. Parents of infants and toddlers may not be able to pay their doctor for the cost of immunizations, but this should not be a barrier to staying on time. Parents who cannot afford baby shots need to know that immunizations a work to be done

• In Ohio, vaccine-preventable diseases were reported at an all-time low because immunizations work.
   
• The World Health Organization declared the Western Hemisphere free of polio in 1994. Reported cases of polio have declined by more than 80 percent globally since 1988.
   
• Smallpox has been eradicated from our planet.
   

Last Updated: 3/26/02

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