The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has designated August as National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM), an annual observance highlighting the importance of getting recommended vaccines throughout your life. You have the power to protect yourself and your family against serious diseases like measles, influenza (flu), and cancers caused by HPV.
During NIAM, the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) will be sharing information and resources on social media to highlight the importance of vaccines across the lifespan. Help us spread the word in 3 easy ways:
1. Use the hashtag #IVax2Protect to join the conversation and share stories about why you choose to vaccinate yourself and your family on social media
2. Follow NFID on social media channels including Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram and like and retweet our posts to spread awareness, not disease
3. Join the online conversation using these sample social media posts/graphics:
- #Flu causes 20,000 children under age 5 years to be hospitalized in the US each year nfid.org/flu #IVax2Protect #FightFlu
- #Flu increases the risk of heart attack by 3-5 times in the first 2 weeks of infection for those 65+ nfid.org/flu/olderadults #IVax2Protect #FightFlu
- #Flu increases the risk of stroke by 2-3 times in the first 2 weeks of infection for those 65+ nfid.org/flu/olderadults #IVax2Protect #FightFlu
- #HPV causes more than 33,700 cases of cancer in men & women every year in the US nfid.org/hpv #IVax2Protect #PreventCancer
- Despite a national #MMR #vaccination coverage of nearly 92%, 1 in 12 children in the US does not receive the 1st dose of MMR #vaccine on time nfid.org/measles #IVax2Protect #PreventMeasles
- Vaccination prevents more than 90% of cancers caused by #HPV nfid.org/hpv #IVax2Protect #PreventCancer
- #DYK: Widespread use of #measles #vaccine has led to 99%+ reduction in measles cases in the US? nfid.org/measles #IVax2Protect #PreventMeasles #GetVaccinated
- With more than 100 million doses distributed in the US, #HPV #vaccine has a solid safety record backed by 10+ years of monitoring and research nfid.org/hpv #IVax2Protect #VaccinesWork #PreventHPV
- Even with treatment, approximately 1 out of every 10 people who get #meningococcal disease will die https://www.nfid.org/meningococcal #IVax2Protect #GetVaccinated
- Almost 1 in 3 adults in the US will get #shingles in their lifetime. #GetVaccinated #PreventShingles www.nfid.org/shingles #IVax2Protect
View Additional Resources:
- On-demand NFID webinar: Managing Outbreaks of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases
- CDC Interactive Vaccine Guide (learn about vaccines recommended during pregnancy and throughout your child’s life)
- CDC Adult Vaccine Assessment Tool (learn what vaccines you may need)
- Vaccine Finder (search for nearby locations that offer vaccines)
- CDC NIAM Toolkit and Resources
To join the conversation and get the latest news on infectious diseases, follow NFID on Twitter and join the conversation using #IVax2Protect, like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, join the NFID Linkedin Group, and subscribe to receive future NFID Updates.
