Being separated from our friends, extended family, and the rest of the community during this COVID-19 pandemic can be especially hard if you’re pregnant or taking care of a new baby or young children. Pregnant women, mothers, and fathers may not have the support they would normally have. The Onondaga County Health Department is just a phone call away! Our Healthy Families programs offer free and confidential services for moms, babies, dads, and families—from pregnancy and fatherhood advice to healthy WIC foods, support for breastfeeding, and information on your child’s growth and development, we have many services to offer you and your family. To protect the health of the public and our staff, we are offering these services over the phone—call 315.435.2000 or complete our online form to connect with us.

This week is National Infant Immunization Week, a perfect reminder that immunizations are an important way to protect an infant’s health. Infants are at greater risk of getting serious diseases and are vulnerable to infections. Immunizations not only protect the individual, they also protect families and communities from getting diseases. Children who are not vaccinated increase their risk of disease, and are a risk to others.

It is important for infants to be protected by receiving all of the recommended immunizations (shots), which can build a strong immune system to fight against serious diseases. Vaccines are proven to be safe and effective, and can protect against 14 different diseases before the age of two! During this time it is still important for infants and children to receive immunizations that follow the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice’s (ACIP) recommended vaccine schedule. Call your child’s healthcare provider today to make sure your child is up to date.

For more information about vaccine-preventable diseases and the importance of immunizations, contact your child’s health care provider, the Onondaga County Health Department at 315.435.2000, or visit https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/index.html.