County Council Proclaims August As Immunization Awareness Month

During its Tuesday meeting, the Delaware County Council proclaimed that August as Immunization Awareness Month and stressed the need for vaccinations.

Jack Whelan, county council chairman, said the campaign is to increase public knowledge of the importance of vaccines and how they are needed with the school year coming.

“With the upcoming opening of schools, this month is an ideal time for residents, especially parents of school children, to determine if they are up-to-date on immunizations,” said Whelan. “New regulations put into effect by the Pennsylvania Department of Health require that children in all grade levels receive an additional dose of varicella vaccine, a second dose of mumps vaccine, a complete three-dose series of Hepatitis B vaccine and a second dose of chickenpox vaccine if they have never had the disease.” 

Whelan said that the role of vaccines have played an important part in human history. For example, in the early 1870s smallpox was responsible for the deaths of half a million Europeans during the Franco-Prussian War, he said. 

But as a result of vaccinations, by 1977 smallpox had been officially declared eradicated, he added.

Through a press release, County Senior Medical Advisor Dr. George Avetian stated that parents should be aware of the new state immunization requirements that children of all grades should receive.

The county provided two lists—one for children and one for adults—that show the immunization recommendations, which accompanies this article.