As several measles outbreaks in the U.S. in recent years so vividly show us, vaccine-preventable diseases can be a threat to our health. APHA promotes immunization of the world's children as well as throughout the lifespan.
Do vaccines work? Think about it: As the 2014 Ebola outbreak raged in West Africa, no vaccine was available, so thousands of people became very sick and more than 9,000 died. In the case of measles, in the decade before 1963 when a vaccine became available, nearly all children got measles by the time they were 15. Up to 4 million people in the United States were infected each year, 400-500 people died, 48,000 were hospitalized, and 4,000 suffered encephalitis, or swelling of the brain. Now, two doses of measles vaccine are about 97 percent effective at preventing measles if someone is exposed to the virus. Vaccines work!
Read the letter to President Trump from national and state health organizations (including APHA) expressing unequivocal support for the safety of vaccines. (PDF)
One way to counter misinformation about childhood vaccines is to train parents to be immunization advocates, according to a recent study.
Check out our vaccine-related resources
Why don't people get vaccinated? Hear what Elmo and former U.S Surgeon General Vivek Murthy have to say about that....
Did you know....you have a 1 in 12,000 chance of getting hit by lightning, but only a 1 in 1,000,000 chance of having a reaction to a vaccine? Find out more in this infographic from the producers of the film "Vaccines — Calling the Shots."
