National Immunisation Awareness Month

This August, National Immunisation Awareness Month raises awareness and highlights the importance of routine vaccination for people of all ages to protect public health. It emphasises the role vaccines play in preventing the spread of infectious diseases and highlights the importance of vaccines being given on time.

It also focuses on educating the public about the benefits of vaccinations, dispelling myths and misinformation, and encouraging people to stay up-to-date with their immunisations to protect communities from vaccine-preventable illnesses. It is encouraged you talk to your doctor, nurse, or healthcare provider to ensure you and your family are protected by getting caught up on routine vaccinations.

Vaccines do:

• help to protect you and your child from many serious and potentially deadly diseases

• protect other people in your family and community – by helping to stop diseases spreading to people who cannot have vaccines, such as babies too young to be vaccinated and those who are too ill to be vaccinated

• undergo rigorous safety testing before being introduced – they're also constantly monitored for side effects after being introduced

• sometimes cause mild side effects that will not last long – you may feel a bit unwell and have a sore arm for 2 or 3 days

• reduce or even get rid of some diseases – if enough people are vaccinated

Vaccines do not:

• do not overload or weaken the immune system – it's safe to give children and adults several vaccines at a time and this reduces the amount of injections needed

• do not contain mercury (thiomersal)

• do not contain any ingredients that cause harm – only ingredients essential to making them safer and more effective and only in very small amounts

• do not cause autism – studies have found no evidence of a link between the MMR vaccine and autism

Follow the link for more information on NHS vaccinations and when to have them - NHS (www.nhs.uk)