CDC Vital Signs: Vaccines for Children Program: 30 Years of Protecting Children

CDC Vital Signs vaccines for children program 30 years of protecting children vaccines have saved lives for over 100 years and are essential to protecting people from deadly diseases research shows that vaccinations for children born from 1994 to 2023 will have prevented about 8 million illnesses and 32 million hospitalizations and saved over 1.1 Million Lives the vaccines for children or vfc program was established by Congress in 1994 in response to measles outbreaks in 1989 to 1991 the program provides recommended vaccinations against 19 different diseases at no cost to eligible children it helps ensure all us children are protected from life-threatening diseases anyone age 18 years or younger who is eligible for Medicaid uninsured underinsured or American Indian or Alaskan native can receive vaccines from vfc program providers at no cost almost 90% of children born during 2011 through 2020 and eligible for the vfc program received the first dose of the measles Ms and rubella vaccine despite the vfc program's successes vac vacination is lower for vfc eligible children than for children not eligible for the vfc program there is continued need to reach eligible children who lack insurance and children and families with lower incomes what can be done healthc care providers can take several steps to promote childhood vaccinations they can strengthen their relationships with families and educate parents about the benefits of vaccination they can use reminder recall systems to let parents know about upcoming or missed vaccination appointments and they can participate in the vfc program to provide vaccinations during routine appointments for eligible children parents have the power to keep their children healthy they can learn about the vfc program and check to see if their child is eligible making sure that children and adolescents are up toate with all recommended vaccines can help keep kids healthy in school and ready to learn to learn more visit www.cdc.gov SL Vital Signs SL vaccines das4 dild