August is National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM). This annual observance highlights the efforts of healthcare professionals, immunization coalition members and other professional organizations work together to protect people of all ages against vaccine-preventable diseases through on-time vaccination.

Research has consistently shown that healthcare professionals are the most trusted source of vaccine information for parents and patients. The California Immunization Coalition encourages all of our partners to use this annual observance to remind our community on the importance of being up to date on recommended vaccines.

The CDC and partners have developed a set of digital communication toolkits with messages and graphics tailored to your role as a healthcare professional and emphasizing the importance of vaccination for your patients.  With one toolkit for communicating with healthcare professionals and one for communicating with parents and patients. 

Toolkits includes:

• Key messages
• Social media content
• Social media graphics
• Newsletter announcements
• Links to educational resources for healthcare professionals 

CDC will also be launching a website for the #HowIRecommend video series by August 1st. Show your support of vaccination throughout the month by using this content on your website and on social media. During NIAM and beyond, you can engage with CDC and other healthcare professionals on social media by using #ivax2protect in your posts.

Save The Date: the CDC will also be hosting a webinar on August 28th at 1:00pm ET highlighting strategies for addressing vaccine misinformation in the practice setting.  Stay tuned for a registration link in near future.

Share your events with us too. We appreciate all your efforts and look forward to another successful NIAM.

Be sure to use hashtags #Ivax2Protect and #VaccinesWork