August 2014 is National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM), sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases and coordinated by The National Public Health Information Coalition. NIAM highlights the importance of immunizations, one of the top 10 public health accomplishments of the 20th Century, according to CDC. The NIAM Communication Toolkit focuses on four weekly themes:

• August 3-9: A Healthy Start: Babies and Pregnant Women

• August 10-16: Back to School: Children, Pre-teens, and Teens

• August 17-23: Off to the Future: Young Adults

• August 24-30: Not Just for Kids: Adults

Three messages are central to the campaign:

• Vaccines are an important step in protecting against serious, and sometimes deadly, diseases.

• Vaccines are recommended throughout our lives.

• A strong provider recommendation is one of the best ways to ensure patients get the vaccinations they need when they need them.

The Public Health Foundation (PHF) will be promoting NIAM by engaging in active discussions on social media, working with partner organizations, and disseminating materials through PHF’s Online Store that help inform professionals and the public about the important role vaccines play in helping keep everyone healthy.

Participating in NIAM? Please leave us a comment to tell us about your involvement. Connect with PHF before, during, or after NIAM by sending us a tweet on Twitter or posting a message to the PHF Facebook page to start a discussion with other public health professionals and organizations.